Lay Our Souls to Waste
by QuirkyRevelations
Summary: Tobias Hankel is far from pleased when George Foyet decides to contact him, becoming friendly with his father. Unfortunately Tobias can't rely on Reid for help this time and he's soon forced on a dangerous mission when Foyet breaks him out of prison. Their goal: revenge against the BAU team, against Reid in particular. And they won't stop until all hell is unleashed.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

_Slap! Smack! Punch!_

Reid's head was thrown back as calloused fists struck him over and over again. Involuntary tears stung behind his eyes yet he refused to let them fall.

It wouldn't do him good and even worse, _they_ would enjoy it.

So he used his willpower to hold back any cries of pain and attempted to suppress his grimaces. He's been tortured before so he's experienced pain, but this…this was relentless. He felt as if he's been hit every second of every day for an eternity and the affliction was only getting started.

And it hasn't even been 30 seconds.

A blow to the head fuzzed his hearing, muffling Hotch's angered yells. And yet his tormentor refused to cease, only seeming to increase the intensity of his punches.

_Slap! Smack! Punch!_

But probably the worst part was that like the last time, he was just as helpless to make it stop, to shield himself. Yet instead of handcuffs restraining him from in front of him, they were behind him this time; he felt them straining against the wooden chair as he struggled to evade those brutal fists.

_Slap! Smack! Punch!_

"Stop. He's had enough." Reid secretly released a sigh as those calloused fists drew back and the owner of them stared at his companion.

"And why the hell should I? His blood isn't on my knuckles yet." Despite himself, Reid couldn't suppress a shiver.

"No, not yet but you want him to suffer, right?"

A brief nod of confirmation. "More than a sinner in Hell."

"Then restrain yourself. You might kill him too soon if you don't. Besides, you forget that _I_ need to make my mark too." A gleam shines within sadistic eyes and Reid stiffens as a knife is unsheathed from within a trench coat.

"Damn it Foyet, stay away from him!" Reid's eyes snapped over Hotchner who was straining against his own bonds, his face red with anger and blood.

George Foyet looked over at him, grinned, and mockingly asked, "And why should I, Aaron?"

Hotchner gritted his teeth and ground out, "Because he has nothing to do with this! It's me you want! Just let him go!"

Foyet smirked and slowly shook his head. "No. Because you see, Aaron, Dr. Reid has everything to do with this as you do." He walked over to Reid and circled his chair, standing behind him. "He hunted me like you did and he did Hankel wrong. He put him in that god-awful institution and made him live through Hell. I think it's about time we returned that injustice."

Then slowly, he touched the blade to the young profiler's neck and lightly traced it across. Reid instinctively attempted to avoid the knife but Foyet roughly grabbed his hair and forced his head up. Foyet darkly chuckled as Reid's breathing hitched. "Hmmm…I'm wondering where I should make my mark. Here?" He made a light nick under his chin, drawing a dot of blood. He moved the knife upwards. "Or here?" He made another one higher, making a thin cut across his cheek. Reid winced at the mild sting but remained quiet, briefly squeezing his eyes shut.

"Ah, ah, ah Doc," Foyet said condescendingly as he gave his hair a twist. "There's no point trying to hide your fear. Open your eyes or I'll make you by cutting out your eyelids." Unwillingly Reid reopened his eyes and warily glanced up at Foyet who grinned eerily at him.

Meanwhile 'Charles' Hankel glared at him. "You're weak."

Foyet sneered, "Isn't he? What do you say we make him suffer for his impotence, hmm? Nice and slowly." He traced his knife to Reid's throat and pressed the blade until there was blood. Reid struggled to keep breathing.

Hotch flared with rage. "Don't try dragging Tobias into this, Foyet, this is between you and me."

Foyet barked a laugh. "_That's_ where you're wrong, Aaron. Sure I've had fun playing games with you but I think it's about time we have other players. Now you have a group of FBI profilers to help you but where does that leave me? I think it's only fair that I have my own set of allies on my side. And that's where Charles, Raphael, and Tobias come in—you can say they're my teammates. We're playing the game together so we can win against you and your precious team."

Hotch narrowed his eyes. "This isn't a game if it involves murdering innocent lives!"

As 'Charles' snorted, Foyet scoffed, "Innocent? Those people weren't innocent. They were sinners, bastards who roamed this earth and tainting God's good name." 'Charles' nodded his approval while he crossed his arms.

Hotchner shook his head. "As if the concept of God mattered to you. You don't care about ethics or morals—you kill to feel power and dominance. Drop the act, Foyet. You're not fooling anyone."

The Reaper chuckled and shook his head. "Wrong again." Then he turned back to Reid, "You've been awfully quiet, Dr. Reid. Are _you_ having fun playing my game? It must've been boring playing as a pawn for so long but now you get to play with the big boys. Now _that's_ a step up, eh kid?"

His eyes glinted maliciously and Reid repressed another shiver. He took a deep breath and looked to 'Charles', "Mr. Hankel, I know you may think of me as a liar but you need to know that Foyet is manipulating you. He's just using you to get what he wants. Please, you have to believe me. I-"

"Quiet you demon!" 'Charles' snapped at him, his eyes blazing. "I've heard enough of your lies and it's time for you to repent!" He looked to Foyet, "Make sure he's still alive when you're through with him. I'd like the honor of sending him back to Hell my way!"

Foyet smirked and remarked, "Gladly." He pressed the blade firmer as he glanced at Hotch. "You know, Aaron, this could've all been prevented. If you had just made the deal then this wouldn't be happening. Everything I'm gonna do will be your fault."

"Don't listen to him, Hotch!" Reid hurriedly said. "You are not to blame for any of this! You were right in not negotiating with him! He would've-" He was cut off by his own pained cry when Foyet made a quick swipe across his arm, leaving a bleeding, shallow laceration. Hotchner angrily jerked in his seat, held back by the handcuffs around his wrists.

Foyet's expression was somewhere between amused and annoyed as he growled, "All this talk is boring me so you should shut up." He glanced at Hotch and said, "Just to let you know, the scars I'm gonna leave on him are gonna make yours look like paper cuts. Now why don't you sit back, relax, and enjoy the show; after all, I got you a front row seat."

"Damn it, don't you dare!" Hotchner lurched in his chair, striving to get loose.

"It-it's okay, Hotch," Reid said as he ignored the blood trickling down his arm and the vicious burning of his wound that matched with the throbbing of his bruises. "I'll be alright."

Foyet laughed with amusement. "You say that now but you have no idea what Charles, Raphael, and I have in store for you. By the time we're through, you'll wish that the Devil came and _gave_ you the luxury of slitting your throat before dragging you to Hell."

Reid stiffened yet refused to comment, pressing his lips into a thin line. _I won't scream, I won't scream, I won't scream…_

Foyet walked around his chair until he was in front of him. He peered close to his face, brown eyes locking on hazel ones. "Are you scared?" Reid didn't answer as he refused to let his gaze waver. "You should be."

_Don't scream, don't scream, don't scream…_

Then without warning Foyet plunged the knife into his ribs.

He screamed.

* * *

**Ta-da! I'm back! Heh, this was supposed to be posted up sooner. My bad :)**

**Anyways, so welcome to the prologue! This is supposed to give you a taste of what's to come! The next chapter will be the first official chapter and will pick up where "Call Me Lucifer" left off.**

**So yeah, stuff happens. Feel free to make some guesses ;)**

**Thank you so much for reading this! It means a lot even if you briefly glimpse at it! I'll post up chapter 1 when I can! :D**


	2. A Matter of Time

**Hello and welcome to chapter 1! Thanks to those who read the last chapter and extra love for those who favorited, followed, or reviewed! Special thanks to LithiumFlower13, People Person I'm Not, songwriterforlife99, Liliane, and Stace for your kind, encouraging words! Your response means a lot to me! :D**

**Liliane: I feel bad for him too and I'm glad it was unexpected for you! Thanks for reviewing this and "Call Me Lucifer"!**

**Stace: Really? Thank you so much! I appreciate the compliment! Hope you're reading this chapter now!**

**Alright there are a couple things you need to know or remember before you read this:**

**1) Tobias wasn't killed by Reid and was placed in an institution. **

**2) Tobias and Reid became friends over time.**

**3) If this is Tobias's POV then he's going to see himself, his father, and Raphael as three separate people though to everyone else he's talking to himself.**

**4) George Foyet discovered Tobias and became intrigued with his condition and his connection to the BAU team; he's been sending him letters and visited him once ("Call Me Lucifer")**

**That's it, I guess. This chapter picks up where "Call Me Lucifer" left off. You'll have to keep track of this story to find out what's the deal with the prologue ;)**

**General disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. If I did, then I'd be shaking hands with the talented James Van Der Beek and the amazing C. Thomas Howell! :)**

**Warnings: language, brief violence, some blood, spoilers to season 4 "Omnivore", indirect spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

**Now on with the show!**

* * *

"An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind."-Mahatma Gandhi

* * *

_Tobias Hankel,_

_It was great to finally talk to you and your father. I've been dying to meet you both since I saw those videos. Too bad I didn't get a chance to meet Raphael but perhaps he'll be there the next time I come by._

_To tell the truth, I've been really busy lately. My visit with you has gotten me thinking about sending out a message to the public. I've been doing solo work for a while now but any potential progress has been hampered by the BAU team. Don't take this personally seeing that you and Dr. Reid are friends but I can't accept that. I can't have them, as your father would say, silence my messages. I need the world to know that George Foyet is the Boston Reaper._

_Have you looked up the Boston Reaper, Tobias? I'm sure you'll find dozens of fascinating documents about me and my murders since I've killed so many. In case you can't, I've attached one of my favorite articles to this letter. Once you're done reading it, give it to your father; I have a feeling he'll like it._

_Like I said, I've been busy lately but rest assured I won't skip out on you. I intend to visit you again so we can talk. I have this feeling that you don't like me very well, Tobias, and that hurts me. Though I admire your colleagues, I can't help but feel connected to you. After all, you're the reason your father and Raphael were able to find and kill those sinners. You deserve a lot more credit than what you receive and I intend to give it to you. We are kindred spirits, Tobias, don't ever forget that. You're not alone._

_Hopefully sometime after this letter I might be able to stop by. In the meantime though, do write back. I'll even let it slide that you haven't answered my last four letters. I understand, I do—you're a bit confused and taken aback by me. Don't worry, I tend to have that effect on people. If you want, you don't even have to write to me—I won't mind hearing what your father or even what Raphael have to say to me, especially since your father and I got along the last time._

_I expect a letter from you, Tobias. And you can hopefully expect me real soon. I look forward to seeing you again._

_From,_

_Your humbled follower_

_George Foyet_

The bottom of the letter had a picture of a triangle with an eye inside, just like the first four. Attached by a paper clip to the letter was a photo copy of a newspaper article titled "THE BOSTON REAPER STILL AT LARGE."

Tobias Hankel hadn't wanted to open this but he had no choice. When one of the institution's guards handed it to him, Tobias was ready to throw it away without so much as a glance. But as it was, his father happened to be present. When he noticed that the name "Dr. Carson" was on the envelope, he had immediately snatched it from Tobias and read it.

Tobias was sickened by the fact that George Foyet was impersonating a psychiatrist named Dr. Carson so that the letters would get to him. No doubt that if the guards were to know that the notorious George Foyet, a.k.a the Boston Reaper, was sending him letters, they would surely take them away and track him down.

But of course Foyet was smart—he made sure that each envelope said that it was from a trusted psychiatrist. To the guards, it seemed that "Dr. Carson" has taken an interest in Tobias and wanted to help him. They didn't know better nor did they have any reason to suspect anything.

Sighing to himself, Tobias put aside the letter and glimpsed over at his father, who was looking at the photocopied article with intrigue. Instantly an acidic form of dread crept up within his stomach. He knew Foyet was bad news the moment he read his first letter but now this was getting out of hand. He assumed that Foyet was an admirer but he was more than that—he was a murderer and a self-proclaimed kindred spirit.

Tobias was nothing like him though—his father and Raphael…yes they had _a lot_ in common with Foyet.

But why does _he_ have to be sucked into this?

"Foyet's pretty impressive at not getting caught." Tobias looked over at his father whose scowl masked his awe. "He's managed to kill 20 sinners and evade those weak-minded cops too. Even I'll admit that's pretty damn good."

Tobias shook his head. "How can you call him impressive? Mr. Foyet has killed people! Not sinners…people! He…he told me himself that he does it for fun! He's not impressive he's a murderer! You shouldn't listen to him! He-"

"Shut your mouth, boy!" His father snapped at him, "Your pathetic mind has been consumed by the devil so you don't know what the hell you're talking about! Foyet is a visionary! If anyone understands that sinners ought to be punished, it's him!"

"But those people weren't sinners! They were innocent people who led Christian lives! They didn't deserve to die and Mr. Foyet had no right killing them! You heard him, father, he's a monster! He's not trying to please God—he's just killing because he wants to! You may not think so but-"

He was cut off by his own startled yell of pain when his father's fist connected with his jaw. "Don't disrespect me, boy and don't preach to me about right and wrong! I know the difference between killing and cleansing and I know that Foyet is doing the Lord's work! Foyet is justified while you're going to Hell! I don't need to hear your pitiful attempts to corrupt me! I am stronger than you, boy! I always have been!"

Tobias trembled slightly but held his ground. "You only think you are because you've beaten me until I lost hope. But since I've found it, you're not stronger than me—you're just hot-tempered and gullible."

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY?! I'LL KILL YOU!" Then Charles immediately lunged for Tobias who sidestepped him and avoided the blow. Memories of abuse struck him but he swallowed his fear and tried to calmly wait for the guards to hear them.

His father managed to hit him three times -twice across the face and once in the gut- before a couple of guards rushed in and restrained him. Then a doctor scurried in to inject him with the medication that calmed him down. Within seconds, his father's struggles slowly ceased as Tobias felt a familiar sensation of relaxation and weariness overtake him.

Though he was grateful for entering the universe of unconsciousness, Tobias knew that once he was awake, the glaring issue of Foyet will still be waiting for him.

It was only a matter of time before he had to face it before it all got out of hand.

* * *

Meanwhile George Foyet sat at a table in an apartment building, typing away on his high-tech laptop. Satisfied with his work, he shut down the device and looked around his apartment, admiring the comfortable atmosphere.

Well if he had to be honest with himself, it technically wasn't _his_ apartment—no, it belonged to that psychiatrist fellow Harold Carson. Nice old man, really. Foyet was grateful when Carson had offered to help him with his flat tire. It almost pained him to ambush the old man and stab him 17 times.

_Almost._

It's been weeks since Foyet murdered Harold Carson and he's been residing in the man's apartment ever since. He was lucky that the doctor was widowed and reclusive or else someone was bound to notice his absence. But as it was, Foyet was in the clear.

After he had killed Carson, Foyet merely dumped the body, took his belongings, and located his apartment. He had been impressed by the old man's medical degrees in psychology but at the time he was more interested in the benefits it provided him—it gave him the perfect cover to enact his plans.

And soon his patience and diligence was going to be rewarded; all he needs to do is wait for the institution to respond to his -or should he say _Dr. Carson's_- email. Just a little longer and he'll get the information he wants.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

**So what do you think? Did I do okay with Foyet's character?**

**I'll get chapter 2 posted up when I can! Next time you'll finally find out what went down between Reid and the BAU! Can't wait! :D**

**Until next time!**


	3. Severed Bonds

**You guys make me feel loved! Thank you so much for the positive response! :D**

**Liliane: Aw you are just way too sweet! I'm immensely flattered by your comments and thanks for the reassurance about the characters! Thank you very, very much! Haha and don't worry you didn't say 'write' too much! By the way if you don't mind me asking, what is your first language?**

**Guest: Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for reading and letting me know your thoughts! :)**

**A thing or two you should remember or know before you read this chapter: **

**1) Reid and Tobias have been writing to one another for a while, which the team ****_previously_**** had no idea about.**

**2) Reid's visited Tobias twice: once in "Sympathy for the Devil" and the other in "To Live and Let Go"**

**3) During Reid's 2nd visit, Tobias gained the courage to defy "Charles" and "Raphael" and decided to not take their crap.**

**So yeah...there you go :)**

**Warnings: language (thank you Morgan), references to drugs, spoilers to season 2 "Revelations"**

* * *

Spencer Reid couldn't get out of the office fast enough. The moment he was done with his paperwork, he said a hasty good-bye to his colleagues and left. He currently sat in his car and rested his head against the seat, sighing heavily in exasperation.

It had been another one of _those_ days.

Another day of tense silence between him and his comrades and occasionally a forced conversation. In short, awkward. Throughout the course of a week, he's already had three of those kinds of days. He was lucky that three of the other days were spent on a case where nothing but the Unsub and profiling was talked about and the other was a Sunday where he didn't see the team.

But today, Reid was stuck with boring paperwork where he was forced to sit in strained, uneasy stillness with his friends. He didn't like this lack of communication and the obvious detachment in their normal bond. More than anything he wanted it to go away but he knew it wasn't easy to fix. This rift couldn't be mended with simple words—Reid needed them to understand.

But clearly they couldn't.

Reid released another sigh as he easily remembered the day it all came crashing down on him.

_~One week ago~_

It just wasn't his day. Reid had woken up late so he had rushed in order to make his train ride to work on time, only for his transportation to be delayed. So he had to wait well over twenty minutes before the train finally arrived. Reid was irritated as it was that the conductor refused to apologize or even acknowledge his tardiness but in his rush, he forgot to grab a book for the ride. So he was forced to sit there and do nothing for the entire trip.

Reid had called Morgan ahead of time to tell him that he was going to be late so he knew that he was excused. He eventually brushed off his mild ire and arrived at the BAU wearing a light smile on his face.

When he entered his floor, Reid noticed that the team was hovering around the desks in the bullpen and immediately figured that they had a case. Smiling at the thought of catching another Unsub, he approached them and said, "Hey everyone, sorry I'm late! I have no idea what went wrong but apparently there were some delays with the trains today. They were fifteen minutes behind schedule but they didn't even acknowledge the situation and…" He drifted off as he suddenly sensed that his friends were distraught and shocked, their appalled expressions giving it away.

Something was wrong.

Immediately wary, he asked, "What's going on?"

He didn't miss the way the team exchanged glances and instantly felt dread begin to creep up on him. He noticed that Morgan seemed to be barely keeping his composure as he asked, "Reid…do you have any idea what this is?" Then he held up an envelope as an indication.

Perplexed at what could be the matter, Reid glanced at the envelope and read what it had. It was a letter addressed from Atlanta, Georgia.

From Tobias Hankel.

Almost instantly his eyes widened at the realization and he automatically tried to snatch it from Morgan who held it out of reach and tightened his grip on it. They found his letter—they found _Tobias's _letter.

Oh dear god.

"Where…where did you get that from?" Reid wanted to curse himself the moment that question left his lips; his voice sounded desperate and pleading…guilty even.

"From your mailbox," Morgan smoothly answered yet Reid heard the scarcely concealed edge within his tone. "Now would you mind telling us why the hell it's there?"

"I…I…" Reid desperately struggled for a decent explanation, something that'll stop the car before it crashed. This looked bad—_so_ bad. Apparently the team drew up their own conclusions when they found this letter and his trepidation wasn't helping his case. Who _knows_ what they were thinking now.

But Reid didn't need to guess to be able to comprehend the looks of shock and betrayal in their expressions. There was no way out of this and he had to come clean. "I…I can explain."

Morgan angrily scoffed in response, "Oh really? Then care to indulge _why_ Tobias Hankel has sent you a letter and _how_ he was able to?"

Reid bit his lip and stuttered, "B-because I, uh-"

"No wait I can answer that—because _you_ gave him the address to the BAU!" Reid flinched as Morgan raised his voice to a dangerous level. "What the hell is that all about Reid?!"

"I-I swear I can explain!" Reid held up his hands in appeasement. "I know this looks bad but let me explain. Y-yes I'll admit that Tobias has our work address and it _is_ because I gave it to him…indirectly."

Reid was met with small, uttered gasps of alarm and widened eyes. "What do you mean by that?" Hotchner calmly asked.

"I…I wrote to him first so I technically didn't tell him the BAU's address…he got it from the envelope."

The shocked silence prevented Reid from looking directly at any of them. It was Prentiss who broke the ice: "Why did you even write to him?"

Nervously clearing his throat, Reid said, "Hotch, Morgan…do you remember when we interviewed Tyson Filcher?"

When the two nodded, he continued, "Well after I had met up with Tobias and talked to him, I realized that he wasn't so bad. I mean his personalities are terrible but _he's_ not. Talking with him has made me realize that he's a good person and that he never meant to hurt me. Tobias-"

"What the hell do you mean that he 'never meant to hurt you'?!" Morgan angrily interrupted, "Reid, we all saw what that bastard did to you! He posted it on the fucking internet for the love of God! _We all saw!_ How can you say that he 'never meant to hurt you'?!"

Reid practically shrank under his gaze but he held firm. "I know, I know what you think and you have every reason to think so but please just let me explain—after I had talked to him, I realized that Tobias wasn't and isn't a bad person. I wrote to him because he was all alone in the institution and he needed someone to talk to. After I had written him a letter, he responded and then we've just been writing to one another ever since. Each of his letters has shown him to be a kind, compassionate human being. Now I know that all of you may not think so but it's true. Tobias would never do anything to hurt me and he's doing a lot better than he was from a long time ago."

There was silence as the team stared incredulously at Reid whose eyes pleaded for them to believe him.

"Spence," Reid looked at JJ when she spoke up, "how long have you been writing to him?"

Reid hesitated before reluctantly answering, "One year, eight months, and seventeen days."

More silence. Reid could practically feel the team's unsettlement radiating, aiming towards him. He felt guilty but not for writing the letters and keeping in touch with Tobias—he was guilty that he hadn't told his friends about his communications. He felt like he betrayed their trust.

After a moment, Garcia unexpectedly asked, "W-why?"

Grimacing at the pain and confusion in her eyes, Reid said, "I already told you—because Tobias isn't a bad person. He's proved that numerous times and during that time, I became friendly with him and vice versa. He's…my friend."

The entire team seemed to visibly cringe at his statement but Reid refused to take it back; he told them the truth though he knew they wouldn't accept it. But he knew that he was doing nothing wrong and he felt a bit lighter once he confessed his thoughts.

"No, Reid." Morgan's teeth tightly clenched together, making each word sound lethal. "JJ's your friend; Prentiss, Hotch, Garcia, and Rossi are your friends; _I'm_ your friend. Tobias is _not_ your friend. Not after everything he's done."

"You don't understand!" Reid exclaimed despairingly, "None of that was his fault! Tobias's personalities made him do the things he did but he wanted no part of that! It wasn't consciously his fault and it's taken me a long time to acknowledge that! I've talked with Tobias and I know that he's harmless! Over time we've become friends and I'm fine with that! I've forgiven him for everything and I'm hoping you guys can too and-"

"Reid, I need to speak with you privately. Now." Without waiting for a response, Hotch turned and started heading for his office.

Not having many options, Reid reluctantly made a move to follow him until Morgan's angry voice growled, "Oh hell no! There's no way you're leaving us out of this, Hotch!"

The former unit chief spun around and frowned. "I can and I am. Let's go Reid."

Throwing a quick glance at the stunned expressions on his team members, Reid hurriedly scurried after him. Once they arrived, Hotchner closed the door behind them and sat at his desk, gesturing for Reid to take the chair across from him. The young profiler gingerly sat down and waited. Even more silence reigned as Hotch looked warily at Reid, as if trying to figure out how and where to start.

"Hotch, I-"

"Reid, do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be communicating with Hankel?"

Internally flinching at his boss's brusqueness, Reid timidly tried, "It's not dangerous, Hotch, _Tobias_ isn't dangerous. I already said that he wouldn't do anything to hurt me and he never will. I know it's difficult to accept the fact that he's anything else but a killer but you and the others are wrong. Tobias is a good person and I know that through our letters and our conversations. He-"

"Conversation_s_?" Hotch bluntly inquired, "As in more than one?"

Reid instantly froze. Crap. To Hotch's knowledge there had only been one visit, the one that he and Morgan intervened. But they and the others were unaware of his most recent one and Reid hadn't planned on telling them.

He was ready to deny it, ready to tell Hotchner that it was a slip of the tongue, but he couldn't—no, Hotch knew him well enough to know when he's lying and even if he didn't, he's a master profiler.

And it didn't help that Reid was well aware of how horrified his expression must look.

Hotchner gazed intently at his subordinate. "Reid, when was the last time you spoke to Tobias face-to-face?"

Reid hesitated before replying, "About three weeks and four days ago."

The unit chief took that in and said, "I see. I take it this was during your vacation time?"

When Reid stoically nodded, he continued, "Did you have any problems?"

Once again Reid considered lying to Hotchner but decided against it. "Sort of. While Tobias, his friend Benjamin, and I were talking and playing cards, 'Raphael' made an appearance and then 'Charles' did. They…harshly criticized Tobias…until he stood up to them."

Hotch raised an eyebrow. "He stood up to them?"

Reid nodded. "Yes. I'll admit that I told them to back off first and then Benjamin did afterwards but seeing us must've given Tobias the courage and willpower to do the same. Hotch, it was amazing," Reid briefly eased his shoulders and lightly smiled. "Tobias called 'Raphael' a hypocrite and then he…left, I suppose. But then when 'Charles' came, Tobias completely went against him and he even sort of denounced his familial alliance with him. It was incredible. Ever since then, Tobias has told me that he's been having a better time at the institution. I don't think he's ever been so content before. It's wonderful." His smile brightened ever so slightly at the thought.

Hotchner studied Reid for a moment, momentarily taken aback by what he said, before he nodded. "I see…Reid, when you write to Tobias, what do you write about?"

Thrown off by the seemingly random question, Reid warily answered, "General topics."

"Such as?" Hotchner pressed.

"Well Tobias often tells me about his days at the institution and sometimes he tells me about Benjamin. Lately I've been recommending books to him and he's telling me what he thinks of them. And once in a while he-"

"I don't want to know what Tobias writes about, I want to know what _you_ write about."

Reid bit his lower lip. "Well like I said, general topics. We talk about anything and everything. Sometimes we have discussions on the books I recommend to him and sometimes we talk about life. Once in a while I'll mention a case that we've worked on but I never go into detail. I just…write what comes to mind—I sometimes even ramble."

Hotch nodded. "Have you told Tobias about your mom?"

Alarm briefly stung Reid as he carefully replied, "I've mentioned her."

"And what about me and the rest of team?"

"Yes, I've talked about you guys before. Hotch, what does-"

"What _exactly_ have you told Tobias about us, Reid?"

Reid lightly frowned. "Just general things about your personalities or the things you guys say. Hotch, what are you implying?"

The unit chief wearily shook his head. "Reid…it's not safe to talk to a serial killer about your personal life. It could have some serious repercussions."

"What?!" Reid exclaimed with offense and outrage. "Hotch, I already told you that Tobias is my friend! He would never-"

"Reid, I know you may believe that Tobias is your friend but you don't know that for sure. He's a delusional serial killer with serious mental instability and whose life was controlled by the fractures of his mind. Though that may not be his fault, it doesn't excuse the fact that he's murdered seven different people. You know very well his reasons for being sentenced to that institution and it's not good that you've taken to communicating with him. His personalities are ruthless, sadistic killers who are clearly the dominant voices within him and they aren't even real—even _you're _treating them like three separate people when Tobias is only one man.

"Point blank, it was irrational to visit Tobias the first time but even more so a second time. Obviously I can't do anything to change that but I can do something about it now. Those letters of yours need to stop—they're completely reckless and it's unhealthy for you to be contacting one of our past Unsubs, _especially_ because of your personal ordeal with Tobias."

Reid flinched at his final statement. He knew it was only a matter of time before Hotch or one of the others brought up the subject of his kidnapping, seeing that it was the root to the uproar, but it still sent an instinctive jolt of fear within him. Nevertheless, he allowed his determination to shake off the lingering effects of his trauma and he narrowed his eyes at his boss.

"Hotch, I know you mean well but I don't see anything wrong with me and Tobias's letters. _They_ are the reason that we even became friends and it's our way of bonding as well as communicating. When we write to each other, we often help one another too. Hotch…he gave me the final push that secured an end to my issue with Dilaudid."

"He was the one that got you addicted in the first place," Hotchner pointed out.

Reid dug his nails into his palms. "He didn't mean to—he was only trying to help me. He even apologized for it. Anyways Hotch, you and the others just don't understand. I knew you wouldn't."

"Well how can we, Reid? Tobias kidnapped and tortured you and now you're saying you're friends with him? I can't accept that and I know the rest of the team can't either. We witnessed him beat you on the Internet and he nearly killed you. How can you be friends with him?"

"It's easy once you actually get to know him. Tobias is a kind, compassionate human being who's lived under horrible circumstances. But if you try and look beyond his past, you'll find Tobias to be a good person. When we talked the first time, he apologized for what his 'father' and 'Raphael' did to me. And I believed him, Hotch. You know why? Because I knew from the start that he was an innocent person trapped in an awful scenario and I'm doing my best to make life worth living for him with those letters.

"Hotch, I know this is going to sound crazy but ever since I started writing to him, I'm getting the idea that Tobias is gradually improving—I can tell that he's growing more confident with himself and less afraid of his personalities, particularly in his 'father's' case. Once Tobias stood up to them, I realized that he might be gaining control. With more time, I feel that he has a chance at living his life how he wants it rather than being manipulated by his personalities. Now I know that there is no known cure for dissociative identity disorder but I believe that with Tobias's medication and his own growing psychological strength, he may finally have the means to break free and be permanently rid of his 'father' and 'Raphael' for good. And I can help him with that by offering my support through the letters. I-"

"Reid," Hotchner cut off his feverish, progressively excited ramble, "Tobias doesn't need your help and you shouldn't feel obligated to. The institution knows how to deal with people with his type of condition-"

"Yes I'm _sure_ they do but Tobias needs more than just regular medication—he needs someone to be there for him. I don't feel obligated to write to him, I want to. Like I said, he's my friend and I want to help him."

Hotch mustered his subordinate for moment. "Reid, are you aware of the term 'Stockholm syndrome'?"

Caught off guard by the question, Reid carefully responded, "Yes…Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy towards their captors, even up to a point of defending them. It can be seen as a form of traumatic bonding and about 27% of abducted victims have shown signs of…of…" Reid drifted off from his encyclopedic recital of this fact when it hit him, "Wait a minute—Hotch are you implying that I have Stockholm syndrome?!"

Hotchner grew slightly uneasy. "I didn't say that but Reid, I do feel that your insistence of Tobias's innocence is unnatural and honestly I feel that it may have something to do with your captivity. Now I'm well aware that Tobias's real personality was a lot kinder and merciful to you so I assume that you must've bonded in some way. But just because Tobias was sympathetic to you doesn't mean that-"

"Hotch! I do _not _have Stockholm syndrome?!" Reid exclaimed with outrage. "I bonded with Tobias through normal conversations, _not_ because of some theory! We're friends because we got to know each other as human beings instead of as the captor and the hostage! I know it's hard to believe that I might actually become friends with the guy who tortured me for two days but it's true—Tobias and I are now on friendly terms! And it's _not_ because of some supposed hostage-type psychological disorder!"

"And how would you know the difference, Reid?"

The young profiler opened his mouth but then closed it, at a loss for words. He had no answer to that. He thought it would be easy to respond, that the explanation would be obvious.

But it wasn't.

Reid _knew_ that he didn't have Stockholm syndrome, he _knew_ that his friendship with Tobias was real, and yet he was unable to distinguish the difference to Hotch.

Seeing that he couldn't respond, Hotchner shook his head. "Reid, I'm sorry that it has to be this way but the letters have to stop. Your sympathy for Tobias is clearly psychosomatic and it's negatively affecting you. Perhaps I can arrange for a psychologist to run through some sessions with you-"

"NO!" Hotch slightly jerked backwards, shocked by Reid's reaction. "You don't get it! I don't need a therapist because I don't have Stockholm syndrome! Tobias and I are friends but it's because of normal means…like how I'm friends with you and the team. We just…understand one another and we connect in our own normal way. Please Hotch…don't make me sever that bond."

Hotchner wearily sighed. "I have no other choice, Reid. I'm doing this because I care. I can't allow you to remain in contact with Tobias. Maybe I won't arrange therapy sessions for now but if I see more letters, then I _will_ sign you up."

Reid looked appalled. "No! You can't do that!"

"I can and I will. These letters aren't good for your psychological welfare, Reid."

"And how do you know that?! Think about it, Hotch, am I any different than how I've always been?! No, I'm not! Those letters have not changed me in the way you think—if anything, they've made me better, more open-minded! And I'm not the only one—Tobias has come a long way from the man he used to be! Please…I'm not asking you to fully understand but I am asking that you accept that Tobias is my friend and that he's a good person. Just…please."

For a moment, Hotchner could only stare at his subordinate, unable to make sense of his behavior. Finally after a while, he set his jaw and said, "It's for your own good, Reid."

Devastation shadowed within Reid as his boss's words sunk in. He refused to trust in his judgment and he'll never receive Tobias as anything but a murderer.

He's unwilling to see the truth.

Feeling utterly distraught, Reid got up and hurriedly exited his office. He quickly strode into the bullpen and reached his desk, ignoring the looks he received from his colleagues standing nearby.

Reid hastily gathered his things, intent on leaving, as the team watched him, unsure of what to say. He had just finished grabbing his stuff when Prentiss attempted to say, "Reid…"

But he disregarded her and turned to Morgan. "I take it there's no way you're giving back that letter."

The older profiler frowned at him and shook his head. "Not a chance. I threw it out."

Growing more distressed, Reid bit his lower to prevent the tears that persistently nagged behind his eyes. He couldn't cry now…not here.

Instead he nodded once and briskly started to leave them. He paid no attention when JJ and Garcia called his name and he wouldn't stop until he entered the elevator, arrived at the lobby, and hailed a taxi to take him home.

It wasn't until he was within the comfort of his apartment that he let his tears fall freely.

_~Present Time~_

The memory of last week stung like a freshly opened wound. Reid leaned back into his cushioned car seat, his vehicle still stationed within the FBI parking lot. When he had went home that day, he cried over how badly this had all turned out. The reactions of his teammates, the looks on their faces so full of disgust and betrayal…it was all too much. But the worst part had to be that he was forbidden to write to Tobias again.

He was denied contact with his friend.

Eventually Reid had pulled himself together and wrote a letter to Tobias, putting the address of his home onto the envelope. He had briefly explained to Tobias about what had occurred and asked that he refrained from writing to him for a while, at least until the turmoil amongst him and his friends eased up a bit. Reid would write to him once he deemed it calm and he informed Tobias of the address change.

Reid didn't even want to think about Tobias's reaction to reading his letter—he knew that he would be disappointed and possibly offended or guilty.

But it wasn't his fault.

The young profiler chewed his lower lip. He wondered how long it'll take for things to get back to normal amongst the team. The day after they had found out, Reid had planned on staying home but was forced to come when a case was given to them. He thought it would be simpler to talk to his team during the investigation seeing that it was their primary focus but he was wrong—throughout their trip, there had been this uneasy detachment between all of them and Reid felt that their job had been hampered and not as efficient as it should've been.

Thankfully it didn't completely throw off their focus and they eventually found their Unsub but nonetheless, it was still uncomfortable. Initially Reid thought about ditching work for a few days in order to have the team cool off but ultimately decided against it.

But then regretted it.

Working in the bullpen was awkward. No one could find anything to say to him and Morgan had taken to not talking to him. Apparently Hotch had told the team about what Reid had told him and they were just as adamant in their opinions as he was. JJ and Garcia attempted to lighten the mood with conversation, only for it to pathetically drop.

Reid could tell that Prentiss, Garcia, and JJ were attempting to understand his perspective but they couldn't—they were too confused and hurt to even try. Hotch thought it would be best not to mention anything but Reid could often feel his gaze on him as the previous unit chief tried to figure him out. Rossi was probably the most natural with him, most likely since he wasn't there at the time and couldn't really form an opinion. Reid was able to chat with him the best for now though he sensed that the older man was trying to remain neutral for the situation.

His interaction with Morgan was probably the worst. It was bad enough that there was silence between him and the team, but the detachment between Reid and his best friend was severely horrible. Morgan refused to speak with him, finding ways around it during the case; Reid even had to bunk with Rossi when they stayed at a hotel.

It was obvious that Morgan was furious with him. In a way, Reid could understand—it was a typical reaction for him but he couldn't accept the degree of anger directed at him. Often times Reid could sense Morgan glaring at him with such affliction, indignation, betrayal, and disappointment that it burned to his core.

There was nothing that he could do or say that would fix any of this.

That thought slammed violently into him and Reid had to tightly clench the steering wheel for support. How could this have happened? Why did fate have to be so cruel?

Why was he being punished for doing nothing wrong?

* * *

**Talk about awkward. Please let me know if any of the team's reactions are OOC; I tried my best to characterize them by how I assumed they would react if this were the show.**

**One more thing: you know that letter that Reid mentions? I'm considering writing it out but I'm not sure. What do you think? It won't make much of a difference to the story but it's more for personal preference. Would you guys want it or not really? Your choice :)**

**Alright well that's it for now. Thanks for reading! :D**


	4. Another Way By Other Means

**The response for the last chapter almost made me explode with happiness! Thank you all so much for your nice comments and overall interest! It means the world to me! :D**

**Personal thanks to Ms. Reid, songwriterforlife99, LithiumFlower13, Danton, Goldenrod, People Person I'm Not, and Liliane for your amazing reviews! You guys individually make me smile!**

**Danton: Haha well never fear, here's the next chapter! Thank you so much for reading the previous stories to this as well as your wonderful response to the last chapter! Hope this was worth the wait! :D**

**Liliane: Hello to you too! I'm really happy to hear from you, everything you say is just so nice! And your last review...thank you! I'm super flattered and I'm seriously touched by your dedication! Haha, interesting story about your path to learning English; I'm currently learning Spanish! I don't mind that you ramble, I appreciate that you do! Have at it! :D**

**Remember: Benjamin 'Ben' Richardson is Tobias's best friend in the institution; he and Reid have met before and they got along.**

**Warnings: spoilers to season 2 "Revelations", Foyet being a creeper :P**

**P.S You're welcome People Person I'm Not and songwriterforlife99 ;)**

* * *

The next day came about and Tobias was mutely sitting near his father and Raphael as a third wheel. It was early in the morning -not even breakfast time yet- and the two were talking…about Foyet.

Tobias had woken up to see that Raphael had somehow gotten into the room and he was just sitting at the desk, staring blankly at Foyet's letter and newspaper article. When he saw that Tobias was up, he demanded to know what was going on. For a brief moment, Tobias was relieved that the archangel had found the documents—perhaps he can get Raphael to side with him and to see Foyet as a murderer. Then maybe they can work together to end this mess.

But just as Tobias attempted to explain things, his father butted into the conversation and was soon positively describing Foyet. Raphael listened as Charles talked about Foyet with such admiration and approval that the archangel grew interested.

Tobias tried to convince Raphael that Foyet was nothing but trouble but was forced into silence by his father's threatening glare. He could only miserably watch as Charles went on.

"According to that article, Foyet has killed over 20 sinners in his time and he was never caught. He's been ridding the world of impurity for a while now and he's never gotten acknowledgement. We're lucky that he was able to find us because he's been doing the same thing that we did only better."

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "You don't say. But how can you be so sure of the man's authenticity? How do you know he's not a sinner disguised as a follower of God? We've encountered many of those before—how can you be sure that this George Foyet character isn't one of them?"

Charles scoffed, "He isn't, I can tell. Now I'll admit that I was skeptical of him too but once I really talked to him, I sensed that he was telling the truth. Foyet killed those people because he knew that they were corrupt and immoral. He did God and the rest of the world a favor when he did what he did. I'm telling you, Raphael, Foyet is legitimate. We can trust him."

The archangel briefly glanced at the article before turning back to him, "How did you say he found out about our deeds?"

"He said that he happened to find our videos on the Internet. It's good that they're still there even if the FBI tried to silence our message." He then pointedly turned to Tobias and viciously glared at him—Tobias firmly held his gaze in response.

Frowning at him with disapproval, Charles adds, "Foyet said that when he saw our videos, he was inspired and that our readings spoke to him." He turned back to Raphael, "He said that he was a kindred spirit and I can see why—he kills sinners the same way you did and he thinks the way that we do. Foyet earns my respect for following under God—you ought to meet him."

Raphael's normally apathetic eyes held a gleam of intrigue. "If I do get a chance to meet him, I'll see for myself if what you say is true. I don't doubt any falsehood coming from you but it's also easy to be manipulated. For all you know, that Foyet person could be camouflaging as a Satan. I'd better talk to him myself to make sure—no sinner or devil can get past me."

Charles nodded. "I don't doubt that but I know I'm right—once you talk to him, you'll know. We were meant to meet him. He was meant to find us."

Raphael inclined his head as Tobias bit back a groan. _Why can't either of them see that Foyet is evil?! I know that he kills people because he wants to, not because of his duty to God! Even if he hadn't have told me, I would've seen it anyways! Why can't they see?!_

But looking at both figures in front of him, Tobias knew that it was because all they saw was sin. They never saw the good things in life, just the bad. In their minds, the world was corrupted and that only they can fix it. They were right; he was wrong.

But it's not like that.

Tobias eventually tuned them out and floated through his own thoughts. This situation was getting out of hand. Before Foyet showed up, everything was going alright—for the first time ever life was going great for him.

Tobias knew he needed help but couldn't think of whom to go to. Normally he could talk to Ben about anything yet he refrained from telling him about Foyet. Not only did he not want to upset him but he didn't want him to get involved with a serial killer—it was bad enough that he was stuck in this but he'll be damned if he were to drag Ben into this.

Tobias desperately wanted to talk to Spencer. He knew that the young man would be able to fix this no problem. But according to his last letter, things were growing difficult for him. A few days ago Tobias was delighted to receive a letter from Spencer but was shocked with what it said:

_Dear Tobias,_

_I'm sorry, I'm so terribly sorry. I have some highly unpleasant news: I was unable to get your last letter because my team had discovered it. Obviously it wasn't my intention for them to discover our letters but they did and as I had expected, they were upset. They couldn't and wouldn't understand why I would write to you and they refused to listen to me when I told them of your amiability._

_My friends reacted so badly, Tobias, it was awful—I've never seen them so disconcerted. My best friend, Morgan, had basically yelled at me and he threw away your last letter. And my boss, Hotchner, gave me a scathing lecture and he demanded that I never contact you again. I tried telling him and the others that you would never hurt me but they wouldn't try and understand. Hotch told me that if he ever caught me writing to you again then he'd send me to therapy; he has this ludicrous theory that I'm undergoing a psychological phenomenon that basically states that our friendship is fake and psychosomatic. I know it isn't and I know I'm fine yet he and the others refuse to accept that._

_Tobias, I'm so sorry but I'm going to have to ask that we discontinue our letters for the time being. As of now my team is perturbed by our associations and I know that they're angry with me; it'll be a while before they put this behind them and move on but until then, I'll have to deal with the repercussions._

_I don't want to do this, I don't, but I can't write to you for a while. If the team finds out that we were continuing the letters then not only would I lose their trust permanently but even worse so, I'm unsure of what they'll do in regards to you. Though we are states apart, my team is still part of the FBI and they could do something that'll completely disconnect us: they could have the institution involved or they could even relocate you. I don't want them to entirely drive you or me away so the best course of action to lay low._

_Tobias, I can't even begin to describe how sorry I am. None of this was supposed to happen. It's my fault that my team found your letter—I should've been more careful and wary of having them around but apparently it wasn't enough. Please don't blame yourself for any of this, Tobias, it's all my fault and I'm sorry. I haven't felt this awful in a long time and I don't even want to imagine your reaction when you read this. Just remember that this isn't your fault, it's mine, and that you're still a good person no matter what._

_Please take care of yourself and I'll write to you once things blow over. Until then, please don't write to me and wait until I contact you. Again, I'm so sorry, Tobias, I never meant for this to happen. I hope that even after all of this, you'll still consider me your friend._

_Sincerely,_

_Spencer _

Tobias had been horrified by what he read and even more so once it struck on how badly his and Spencer's letters and overall friendship was received. In the back of his mind, he's always known that Spencer's FBI friends would never trust him but he refused to think about it, seeing that it was unlikely that he'd ever meet them anyways.

On one hand, he could understand their perspective—he had taken part in Spencer's kidnapping and he did little to nothing to help when the young man was tortured. Spencer's team saw him as an accomplice to his father and Raphael's deeds and they had every right to think so.

On the other hand, Tobias desperately wished that they would try and recognize that he would never hurt Spencer and that he wasn't like his father or the archangel. If they only knew how much Spencer meant to him and how deeply he treasured their companionship. His letters were a way of bonding and were his source of happiness. Without them, he felt that his connection to Spencer was severed, destroyed, detached.

He's never felt more isolated from Spencer, one of his best friends, his first _real_ friend.

But there was nothing that Tobias could to do and he reluctantly accepted that he would have to be without the letters for a while. He just hoped that everything would be alright between Spencer and his FBI friends and that the young man didn't beat himself too much over this.

It wasn't his fault—it's just the crappy circumstances.

Nevertheless, he wished that he could somehow inform Spencer about George Foyet. The killer did say that he knew Spencer and his team and he openly expressed a deep hatred for them. Tobias had an awful feeling that Foyet was planning something bad and he knew that Spencer and his team ought to know of his presence in Atlanta. He had a feeling that their association to Foyet went beyond just a group of FBI agents trying to find a serial killer on the loose; he sensed that it was more personal than that—Tobias was conscious of the intensity between both parties even if he's never met the BAU team.

He had to tell them somehow—he had to warn them.

But how?

Spencer advised that he didn't write to him for a while and he trusted the younger man's judgment. Even so it would be difficult to write to Spencer with his father and Raphael around more often than usual. He wasn't sure how long they were going to stay but with Foyet getting closer, he couldn't risk it.

There had to be another way.

* * *

Meanwhile, Foyet himself was sitting in a coffee shop, sipping an espresso. He had his laptop on the table and was currently scanning through his files. He was so close to finding Aaron's ex-wife and son that he could almost feel it. If his plans for Tobias didn't work out then at least he'd have his revenge another way.

As he searched through hacked security footage, examining the cameras for the familiar faces of Hayley Brooks and little Jack, he growled when he discovered nothing. As much as he hated to admit it, the FBI was good with witness protection.

But not good enough to outsmart him—one way or another, he'll find them.

He just needs another angle.

Foyet exited out of his files and checked his email, hoping for some good news.

And as it would seem, there was.

Foyet eerily smiled as he noticed a new email from the institution.

It read:

**_Dr. Carson,_**

**_In regards to your email, we are more than happy to help you with your psychology reports. We are delighted that you have found a way to help Tobias Hankel with his condition._**

**_To answer your first question—yes he does associate with the other inmates. However as far as we know, he's only friendly with one. He's known to hang out with Benjamin Richardson, a fellow inmate with mixed bipolar disorder. Richardson has been declared emotionally and mentally unbalanced and he's murdered three people in a fit of rage. Nevertheless, he and Tobias seem to get along very well. We've often noticed them socializing amongst themselves and we rarely have problems with them when they're with one another. _**

**_Initially Tobias was somewhat withdrawn from the other inmates due to his personalities. Often times we've had to stop fights because Tobias's personalities have caused conflict with the others. There's one inmate in particular that is constantly hostile towards Tobias; his name is Earl Rogers and he's a paranoid schizophrenic. He often sees delusions and he firmly believes that he is a mythical creature called the 'Slender man'. When Tobias was first brought to the institution, he and Earl had an argument -well rather one of his personalities did- and there's been some tension between the two since then. Though Tobias and Earl don't speak with one another, there have been constant cases where we've sensed the animosity between them._**

**_On another note, we can answer your questions about Tobias's outside communications—for a while no one has ever been by to see him other than FBI profiler Dr. Spencer Reid. We know for sure that Tobias exchanges letters with him and that they've been in contact for well over a year now. Dr. Reid is Tobias's only visitor and he's dropped in to see Mr. Hankel on two separate occasions. We assume that they're on friendly terms though during both of Dr. Reid's visits, Tobias's personalities have caused trouble that ended in violence. _**

**_In regards to the concerns you've mentioned, you don't need to worry about Dr. Reid—we can assure you that he is a trusted individual and that his credentials check out. As far as we know, Dr. Reid has done nothing that has negatively influenced Tobias._**

**_To answer your question regarding the medication—Tobias takes his medicine three times a day after every meal. To answer the follow-up question—I'm afraid it's unlikely to reduce Tobias's daily injections. His medication makes it less likely for his personalities to cause trouble and they even withdraw from him for weeks at a time. We've been discussing the possibility with Tobias's regular doctor some time now but we are still very uncertain._**

**_However, we might rethink the prospect; if you feel that Tobias should lay off the medication then maybe we'll try and gradually decrease his total amount of injections. Perhaps you can come by again and we'll discuss the any alternative solutions you have in mind. We trust that you know what you're doing._**

**_Additionally as far as we know, Tobias's personalities come and go as they please. The medication keeps them at bay but at irregular intervals. However, it has come to our attention that if Tobias is depressed or distressed, it's more likely that his personalities may appear. We assume that distraught emotions trigger his psychosis due to the abuse he's suffered in the past, more specifically his childhood._**

**_Thank you so much for your time and attention towards Tobias. He's been one of our most unusual and certainly less predictable cases. Hopefully your observations might lead to something that can help him with his condition. And you have our permission to return whenever you like. If you would like to come sometime outside of visiting hours then do not hesitate to call and ask us and we'll discuss a date and time._**

**_We hope that this information helps. Thanks again and we hope to hear from you soon!_**

Foyet grinned like a Cheshire cat once he finished reading—gaining the institution's approval had been easier than he expected.

Morons.

He laughed quietly to himself as he began to think of his next step. He believed that another visit was in order, seeing that he now has some more information about Tobias—not nearly enough but it was perfect to execute further into his plan.

That eerie grin still plastered onto his face, Foyet took out his disposable cell phone and dialed the institution's number. He waited anxiously as the phone rang before someone picked it up.

"Hello, this is Dr. Harold Carson. I'm the psychiatrist that recently emailed your facility regarding a patient named Tobias Hankel."

He listened to the person on the other end before smirking with satisfaction. "Yes, yes I'm good thank you. So I wanted to get back to you about visiting _off_ of visiting hours. Does that offer still stand?"

Foyet's smirk broadened at the other line's response. "Great, that's perfect. And as a matter of fact I _do_ have a day in mind; would it be alright if I stop by today?"

He briefly frowned. "Oh no I don't wish to visit Tobias, I actually wish to talk to someone in person about his situation; I would like to speak with someone who's aware of his daily schedule and who has an idea of his routine. I might have time to see Mr. Hankel sometime this week but for now I would like a different perspective. Besides I could do with some answers to the questions I have in mind."

Slowly his scowl reverted back to a pleased grin. "Yes, that would be very helpful. Fantastic! I'll stop by in an hour. I'll see you then. Thanks." Hearing the person's response, he nodded to himself and hung up, taking in a contented breath.

Oh how wonderful it is for the pieces to fall into place.

* * *

**Hope you guys liked this, especially the letter and email! Pay attention to some of the details in the email; they might be important later ;D**

**Once again I thank you all for reading! Everyone is super awesome! :D**

**P.S CRIMINAL MINDS SEASON FINALE TONIGHT! X3**


	5. Setting the Trap

**There were some concerns about the institution and I can assure you all that I'm purposely writing them out like if they're a bunch of nimrods. I hate to say it but some places are actually like that and I need this institution to be generally gullible. Besides, it makes it easier for Foyet to get away with what he's about to do next ;)**

**Remember: Benjamin 'Ben' has mixed bipolar disorder but is generally perky and tends to talk fast; he's well aware of Tobias's personalities but treats them like separate people for Tobias's sake. (Anyone miss Ben?)**

**Earl Rogers is a dangerous, Southern delusional schizophrenic who imagines that someone named Carter tells him what to do and he believes that he's the Slender Man.**

**I can never give enough thanks to my reviewers People Person I'm Not, Ms. Reid, LithiumFlower13, Liliane, and songwriterforlife99! You guys truly inspire! :)**

**Liliane: Hello! Once again, you've made my day! I really enjoy hearing from you because you're just so nice! I appreciate all your comments as well as your dedication! You're awesome! :D**

**Disclaimer: I definitely don't own the Slender Man or Uno**

**Warnings: language, spoilers to season 2 "Revelations" and season 5 "Nameless Faceless", Foyet amping up the creeper status :/**

**And...action!**

* * *

Tobias was relieved that his father and Raphael decided to leave by the time it was lunch. They wouldn't go earlier so Tobias had asked the guards if it was alright that he stayed in for breakfast; they consented once they noticed Charles and Raphael's presence and they wordlessly got a doctor to inject them. Tobias was more than happy to take the medication if it meant that they were all going to be separated.

He had woken up a couple of hours later just in time for lunch and with his unwanted companions nowhere in sight. For a brief moment he felt safe and free as he was escorted to the cafeteria.

Once Tobias grabbed his food, he instantly spotted Ben and walked over to his table and sat down.

Ben beamed when he approached. "Tobias! There you are! Where've ya been?! You weren't here at breakfast so I was kinda worried about you! Are you okay?! Is everything alright?! Are you sick?! Do you have a fever?!" He looked at him with such concern that it made Tobias gently smile, his earlier trepidation over the Foyet situation beginning to ebb.

"Yes Ben I'm alright—I'm not sick and I definitely don't have a fever. Sorry that I wasn't at breakfast but I was having a bit of trouble with my father and Raphael. Everything's fine now, though."

Benjamin nodded in understanding. "Oh I see. Were they bugging you again?"

"Sort of, but like I said everything's okay now and they're gone for now."

Ben nodded again and brightly smiled. "That's good because I missed you and I'd rather that they didn't show up today…no offense or anything."

"Um, none taken; my father and I have never been on good terms and I don't know Raphael very much—we were never close."

"Yeah, I get that and at least neither of them are here now. I still missed you though; I just stuck to drawing at the activity center after breakfast. Oh! Check out what I drew! Now I don't mean to brag but I think I did a pretty damn good job with this picture! Take a look!" Then he excitedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded paper, handing it to him with animated glee.

Grinning with shared enthusiasm, Tobias took the paper and unfolded it; within was a picture of two individuals -ninjas it would seem- that appeared to be fighting in an epic battle of some sort. Both had a different weapon, one had a katana sword while the other had what appeared to be a thick pirate sword. The one with the katana sword was wearing a blue garb and the other warrior was wearing a red garb. They were combatting one another on the top of a mountain as a volcano exploded behind them. And watching the battle was a light green serpent dragon that was flying in the clouds above them.

Basically, it was cool.

"This…this is amazing, Ben," Tobias breathed with awe. "Where on earth did you get the idea for this? It's incredible."

Benjamin shrugged before responding, "I don't know…I think remember watching a movie about ninjas or something when I was a kid and I've always loved ninjas and fighting scenes and such so I guess in the back of my mind I must've remembered that and wanted to draw it out…do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's impressive. I'll never know how you're able to draw such wondrous pictures. This is really good, Ben."

The other beamed with appreciation. "Thank you! You wanna keep it?"

"…You'd be willing to give it me?"

"Of course!"

"Oh well thank you." Tobias smiled as Ben excitedly handed him the picture. Tobias carefully folded it and stuck it in his pocket, mentally running through places where he could place it.

Ben brightly grinned with approval. "Awesome! So what do you want to do after lunch?! You wanna play with the Uno cards Dr. Reid gave us?! Man I love Uno! The next time you talk to Dr. Reid, tell him I said thanks again! So how's he doing anyways?! How's his job at the FBI?! Heh, I love saying that I know an FBI agent—it sounds so cool!"

Tobias immediately became somber. "He's not doing too well, Ben. He's having some trouble at work."

Ben instantly picked up on his distress. "What's the matter?"

Tobias briefly hesitated before inquiring, "Remember those letters I told you about?"

"Yeah."

"Well as it turns out, Spencer's FBI friends found my most recent one to him and they weren't happy—they forbid him to ever write to me again. Spencer managed to send me one more letter and he said that he'll have to stop a while until further notice…at least until things are alright with his friends."

Benjamin looked incredulous. "What?! Why?! What's their deal?!"

"They…they don't trust me—long story short, Spencer was a victim of my father and Raphael." He internally winced and then looked down at the table in shame. "So I guess I can see their perspective but I wish there was a way that I could get them to trust me. They don't even have to like me but as long they're okay with Spencer writing to me and me to him then I'd be happy."

Benjamin furrowed his brow. "Well even if Dr. Reid was a victim of Charles and Raphael, that doesn't mean that you did anything to him! That's not fair! I like Dr. Reid! He's cool! His friends shouldn't make him stop with the letters! That's not fair!"

Tobias shrugged. "I know it isn't but there's nothing I can really do. I'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Ben bit his lower lip. "Sorry to hear about that. So are you just going to wait until Dr. Reid writes to you?"

"I guess I have to seeing that I have no other choice. But I really want to tell him that I understand because I can tell that he's really upset by this when he last wrote to me. Obviously though I can't; I just…want to tell him that I'm not angry or anything–bummed out, yes, but definitely not angry." _Plus it wouldn't hurt to tell him about Foyet too…_

Ben looked at him sympathetically before he suddenly brightened. "Hey wait a minute! Why don't you give him a call! I bet he'd like that you're calling him to tell him that you understand! I think he'll appreciate it and that hearing from you will put his mind at ease!"

Tobias was stunned by the thought. "You think I should call him?" When Ben eagerly nodded, he continued, "Uh I don't know Ben—I don't have his number."

"So, ask for it! I'm pretty sure that one of the guards here can help you! I'm sure one of them can contact Dr. Reid for you since they know him and all! They can trust Dr. Reid and they can trust you so you there shouldn't be any problems!"

Tobias mulled over the idea. "You really think so?"

"I _know_ so! They were fine when Dr. Reid called me that one time so they should be okay with you calling him! All you have to do is ask them and I'm pretty sure that they can locate Dr. Reid's number for you and then you'll be able to talk to him!"

Tobias wished he had Benjamin's enthusiasm but he still had some concerns. "Um, I'm not sure. I don't really think that the institution can get that information and even if they can I _doubt_ that the guards trust me enough to let me use the phone."

But Ben's optimism refused to wane. "Nah, they can totally trust you! Just try and talk to them—it doesn't hurt to ask! Besides, it's a chance that you can talk to Dr. Reid so you should take it!"

He briefly paused to look Tobias in the eye and then clasped a hand on his shoulder in a friendly gesture. "Don't worry, Tobias—everything's going to be fine. The guards will be able to help you, just try and ask. And whether or not you do get a chance to talk to Dr. Reid, things will eventually smooth over between him and his friends and you guys will be writing to each other in no time. My dad used to tell me every day that everything always works out in the end. Trust me—it will."

Seeing the warm brightness in the other's eyes, Tobias couldn't help but believe him as his worries slowly began to diminish. "Thanks Ben, I needed that."

Benjamin removed his hand and grinned. "No problem! That's what friends are for!"

Tobias smiled and thought that perhaps Ben was right and that things will eventually smooth over. In the meantime though, he ought to take a chance and ask the guards to help him.

Maybe calling up Spencer might fix things.

* * *

"Awww that was sweet." Foyet smirked with amusement as he watched Tobias and Benjamin's exchange, observing from behind the giant window where the guards could survey the inmates as they ate. Though he wasn't able to hear the conversation, he still witnessed and recognized their close bond.

The officer next to him nodded, fooled by Foyet's seemingly genuine tone. "Yeah it's rare to see the inmates get along with one another so it's refreshing to see that Hankel and Richardson are friends."

Foyet inclined his head. "I can understand that. I wonder what they're talking about."

The guard shrugged. "Who knows."

Foyet turned to him, "By any chance, are you personally familiar with Tobias?"

The guard shook his head. "Nah not really—I just know the basics."

Foyet grinned. "That's fine by me. I was informed that Benjamin Richardson had mixed bipolar disorder yet he and Tobias are friends. Has Tobias ever run into any trouble with him? I'm sure there must be an instant where their respective disorders clashed."

The guard thought for a moment before nodding. "Yeah there was this one time when Hankel and Richardson had it out in the cafeteria—one of Hankel's personalities instigated Richardson and the two fought it out. It took a while for me and the others to pull 'em apart."

Foyet hid a satisfied smirk. "You don't say? Has there been any trouble since then?"

"Surprisingly, no. For the most part they get along okay even with Hankel's other personalities and Richardson's extreme mood swings."

"Hmmm, interesting…" He briefly glanced through the window again, "Out of curiosity, which one is Earl Rogers? I was recently informed of his, uh, _heated_ association with Tobias."

"Rogers? Oh yeah, he and Tobias don't get along—they nearly fought on the first day. Let's see now…" The guard scanned the cafeteria and then pointed to a lone man sitting by himself, "There he is, the guy closest to the lunch line."

Foyet observed a very thin man probably older than him talking to the air near him. "That's Earl?"

The guard nodded and off-handedly said, "Yup. I know he seems normal at first glance but he's insane—he thinks he's the Slender man or something."

Foyet thoughtfully inclined his head. "So I've heard. Has he recently been aggressive towards Tobias?"

"No, not lately. Me and the others try to keep them apart as often as we can since Earl tends to give Tobias the evil eye. Tobias usually ignores him though unless 'Charles' or 'Raphael' happen to be controlling him…_then_ there's trouble."

"I see…by any chance is it possible that I may speak with Earl?"

The officer was caught off guard. "You want to see him? Why?"

"Because I want to talk with him for myself and see what he's like; if I do, then I might find the source of his animosity and I might be able to convince him to be nicer to Tobias. I've dealt with patients like him before so I have an idea of how I should approach the subject."

The guard thought for a moment. "Interesting angle you're working at, doc. Alright, we'll pull him aside once he's done eating. In the meantime we'll get you set up in the private visitor's room."

"That would be great, thank you. Actually though if you could escort me to Tobias's room real quick before I go then that would be nice."

The guard gave him a funny look. "Why do you need to go to Tobias's room?"

"Because I want to take a look around. Did you know that a person's room can tell a lot about them? Studies show that their décor can indicate character traits, habits, hobbies, and overall psychological well-being. I just want to take a quick look and make some observations."

Foyet suppressed a smirk when the guard conceded. "Well alright, if you say so. I'll have someone set up Earl while I take you to Hankel's room." He quickly spoke to a couple of other officers before turning back to him, "Heh, funny you should mention rooms—mine has a bunch of crap and dirty clothes on the floor. What does that say about me?"

"That you're single." The guard didn't catch on to Foyet's mocking tone and laughed.

Soon he led Foyet down the halls and into a row of locked doors. They eventually stopped at one and the guard began to pull out a set of keys. "Well here we are. Go ahead and take a look around. I'll be waiting out here so take your time."

"Thanks a lot." Then with a nod, he went in.

Foyet quietly shut the door behind him and studied the interior. Overall he wasn't impressed: the walls were as white as the pillow and sheets on a thin bed and the only thing else in the room were a small desk and chair as well as a toilet. There was a tiny barred window against the wall opposite the door and it currently shined a meager sliver of light into the room.

The Reaper quickly got to work. He immediately went to the desk and looked through it, only finding the recent letter and newspaper article he sent to Tobias. He smirked with satisfaction as he admired the story before putting it back.

He peered under the bed and found a small stack of books. He grabbed them and leafed through every one of them and discovered nothing of importance.

Next he quickly removed the sheets of the bed and searched under the pillow. Still nothing. Growling with irritation, Foyet tossed the items aside and lifted up the mattress.

And finally found something very intriguing.

Foyet grinned widely as he produced a small flat box. Upon opening it, he procured dozens upon dozens of letters. Each were within torn open envelopes all addressed from the same person.

Dr. Spencer Reid from Quantico, Virginia.

A dark, delighted chuckle escaped Foyet as he picked up one and quickly read it. His smile stretched tenfold with what he read and he hastily put it back in, closed the box, and slipped it into his jacket pocket.

_Thank you Tobias for keeping all of these!_

Another malevolent chuckle left him and Foyet swiftly searched through his other pocket and produced a hand-written note. Sneering with relish, he grabbed the Bible he found and stuck it in like a bookmark.

Finished and satisfied with his work, Foyet composed himself and exited the room.

"Alright, I'm ready."

The guard addressed looked up at him. "Find anything interesting?"

Foyet smothered a smug, triumphant grin. "Yeah, you can say I did."

"Good. Now I was just informed that the other guards have gotten Earl and are about to take him to the visitor's room. Let me take you there and the two of you can chat." The officer then proceeded to escort him towards the next phase of his plan.

In no time he was sitting in a familiar room, waiting for someone to bring in Earl. Foyet vaguely felt a sense of déjà vu as he recalled visiting Tobias not too long ago. The smirk on his lips broadened as he remembered Tobias's sickened, horrified expression and 'Charles's' maliciously eager countenance as he talked with 'them'.

Funny how he could get two completely different responses from one man.

He was pulled from his thoughts when two guards walked in with a handcuffed, glowering Earl in hand. The other man glared fiercely at him as the officers sat him down and restrained him to the table.

"Thank you so much for your help." Foyet looked to the officers and feigned a genuine smile.

One of the guards nodded. "Yeah no problem. We're going to leave and give you some privacy but we'll be outside in the hallway if you need us. Just yell when you're ready to go."

"Will do. Thanks." Then the officers nodded in acknowledgement and left the two alone.

Earl wasted no time in speaking to him, "Who the hell are ya?! I don' wanna talk to no one 'round here! Just leave me be!"

Foyet just lightly chuckled. "Sorry Earl but I can't do that. You and I have some business to take care of."

Earl narrowed his eyes. "The Slender man has business with no one! The only person I talk to is Carter and he says that I'm wastin' my time with you!"

Foyet smiled wider and slowly shook his head. "I assure you that talking to me is well worth your time. I have something that might interest you."

Earl stared mistrustfully at him. "The only thing that interests me is gettin' the hell out of here! I don' need to talk to some annoying jackass that thinks he's all high n' mighty! Right Carter?" He looked at the empty space next to him and nodded. "Yup, just as I said." He turned back to Foyet, "Whatever crap you have for me you can just take it back to wherever the hell you came from! I ain't interested!"

"Not even if it has to do with Tobias Hankel?"

Foyet took delight in how Earl's eyes shifted from surprised to anger and how underneath was a subtle gleam of interest.

And so the trap was now set.

Earl recovered himself and deeply frowned. "Hankel? What does that bastard have to do with anything?"

Foyet relished in the upper hand he had and coolly replied, "I'm going to get to the point, Earl—I know about Tobias and I know that you don't like him. And that's why I'm here—I'm here to help you."

Earl looked at him and answered warily, "Help me? Why the hell do you wanna help me? I don' know ya!"

"No you don't but I _do_ know enough about you to know that you can't stand Tobias, correct?"

Earl briefly narrowed his eyes before nodding. "Yup, that boy ain't nothin' but trouble! He's always pretendin' to be other people and such! He don' believe that I'm the new Slender man! On the first day we met, he pretended to be some other person n' told me that I was a sinner or something! Tobias is a damn fool! I hate his guts and I'd rip 'em out if I could!"

Foyet's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Now to place the bait in position. "What if I were to tell you that you could?"

Earl seemed taken aback by his question but then glared at him. "What the hell are you sayin'?!"

"I'm saying that if I were to give you the means to teach Tobias a lesson, would you take it?"

Earl thought for a moment before fixating him with another suspicious gaze. "And why the hell would you do that? Are ya tryin' to trick me?"

Foyet shook his head. "Not at all, Earl. I'm only offering up the chance to get back at Tobias for calling you a liar. Now I _know_ that you're the Slender man but obviously Tobias doesn't. He's mocking you, ya know. Those times when he's pretending to be other people are his ways to insult you. He thinks you're crazy so he acts like other people to make fun of you to the other inmates here, especially to his friend Benjamin—the two laugh about it all the time."

As Foyet expected, Earl flared up in outrage. "That bastard's mocking me?! I'm gonna kill him! I ain't crazy!"

Foyet raised up his arms in appeasement yet had to restrain a grin. Earl took the bait. "I know you're not but Tobias doesn't think so. So you wanna kill him, right?"

All the apprehension within Earl vanished as he angrily nodded. "Hell yeah I do! The next time I see him, I'm gonna kill him with my bare hands!"

Foyet merely nodded. "Good for you Earl, but you might want to slow down and think this through a bit. After all, I'm pretty sure that the guards won't appreciate you trying to strangle Tobias and I'm positive that they'll stop you before you can cause much harm."

Just as Earl began to frown, Foyet hurriedly adds, "And that's why you need something more than just your bare hands—you need something that'll _really_ cause some damage."

Earl's deranged expression instantly transformed to a sadistic glimmer of excitement. "You got somethin' in mind?"

"As a matter of fact I do." Then Foyet threw a quick glance at the door before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the object within, wrapped up in foil. Then he removed it and placed the item on the table.

Earl looked in amazement at the fairly standard switchblade placed in front of him. He looked at Foyet who gestured for him to take it. Carefully, almost gingerly, Earl picked it up and flipped the blade open. It had a regular wedge -not too thin, not too thick- and was cleanly sharpened, obviously new.

Foyet admired the blade as Earl examined it with wonder. He can't decide which he finds more beautiful—a new knife that shined with possibilities or a used one who's crimson ooze held memories.

_Relax…the blade goes in much easier if you don't struggle._

Earl looked to him. "Are you suggesting that I use this?"

When Foyet merely nodded, Earl slowly began to grin with perverse enthusiasm. "I like the way you think."

"You're not the only one. If I were you though, I'd wait until tomorrow before you use my little gift; Tobias won't expect it if you wait a bit."

Earl wistfully nodded. "Yer right—I need to have that boy right where I want 'im. He'll never see me comin'."

"No, no he won't."

_Snap! _Now the trap was finally sprung.

* * *

**Foyet you jerk! How dare you?! What's gonna happen next?! D:**

**Well obviously things are going to get...messy later. Stick around and see what goes down! Thanks for reading! Laters! :D**

**P.S I'm not trying to be offensive with Earl's character...just saying :/**


	6. Hits and Misfires

**Hello all and welcome to the next chapter of "Lay Our Souls to Waste"! Hope you enjoy because it's gonna be intense! :D**

**All you lovely readers, reviewers, and followers make me happy! I never expected to get a nice response so quickly! You guys are just too cool! And thanks for your response to Benjamin! I'm super glad that he's likeable!**

**Liliane: Hey! No...thank you! I love hearing from you and I just burst with happiness with everything you write! I'm so relieved that I'm getting Foyet's character right because he's so complex! Thanks for your comments on Ben, I'm so glad to hear that you like him :)**

**Warnings: language, mild violence, ****_major_**** spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

For some reason Tobias couldn't stop his fingers from shaking as he held the phone in his hands. It was late afternoon and he was standing at the institution's phoning area. Under Ben's urging, he consented to asking the guards if they could help him contact Spencer. At first they were reluctant but eventually complied once they gave Tobias a shot of medication.

When Tobias became conscious, they sent for him and brought him here, somehow managing to get the information he wanted. They informed that they had gathered Spencer's number and that he was only allowed no more than 20 minutes.

20 minutes was all he needed.

Tobias briefly hesitated as his fingers hovered over the dials. This sudden sense of dread clenched at his stomach and he unexpectedly became nervous.

_What's the matter with me? There's nothing to worry about._

Ignoring that nagging feeling as best as he could, Tobias proceeded to dial the numbers he was given. Tobias's anxiety increased as he heard the phone ringing from the other end.

_C'mon Spencer…pick up!_

* * *

Meanwhile at Quantico, the BAU team was working hard on their case files. Presently JJ was in Garcia's office gossiping, Hotchner and Rossi were working in their respective offices, Prentiss and Morgan were working at their desks, and Reid was in the break room grabbing his 11th cup of coffee for the day.

Ever since the team had found out about Tobias, Reid has been going to the break room more often to avoid the awkward tension, consuming more coffee than he ought to. Besides, the extra caffeine gave him extra energy to finish his work faster so he could leave quicker.

…He's never hated coffee so much before.

As Reid was taking his time coming back, the phone at his desk rang. Morgan and Prentiss immediately looked up, briefly startled from their work-induced reveries and glanced over at the device.

They recovered and looked to one another. "Reid's phone's ringing," Prentiss remarked.

Morgan nodded. "I can see that. He went to grab some coffee, right?"

"Yeah." The phone rang a couple of more times before she spoke again, "Do you think he's coming back?"

Morgan shrugged and said, "I don't know—you know how he is with coffee."

Prentiss made a very faint smile. "Yeah…how about I go get him while you pick up the line? You can tell whoever's calling him that he'll be right there."

"Yeah alright—go get him." Prentiss nodded and then stood up and left to go fetch Reid.

Morgan then went over to Reid's desk and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

* * *

Tobias was startled to hear an unfamiliar voice on the line. "Ummm…hello. I'm looking for Dr. Spencer Reid. Is he there?"

"Not right now, man, but he'll be here in a moment. May I ask who's calling?"

"Uh…this is a friend of his…from Atlanta." Once the words left his mouth, Tobias regretted them. It was obvious that this number wasn't from Spencer's personal phone so that could only mean one thing.

This was his work number.

* * *

Morgan was briefly puzzled over who on earth could be on the other line but instantly it clicked for him once he heard 'Atlanta'. Then he recognized the voice, seemingly soft and tentative but underneath held a callous form of malice.

_You really seeing inside my mind, boy? Can you see I'm not a liar?! Choose one to die, save a life, otherwise they're all dead._

Tobias Hankel.

He automatically glared and growled, "Friend, huh? Is that _really_ what you call yourself after everything you've done, you damn bastard?"

* * *

Tobias instantly flinched when the voice snarled threateningly at him.

…This was definitely one of Spencer's FBI friends.

_Oh god…_

Trying to regain himself, Tobias was about to respond when the voice angrily bit out, "I know that's you, Hankel—I was there. What the hell kind of a game are you playing?! What do you want with Reid you sick son of a bitch?!"

Tobias cringed at the acidic tone and stuttered, "I…I'm not playing any s-sort of game with Spencer. P-please I know what you m-may think but-"

* * *

"Oh please!" Morgan angrily interrupted, "Don't try and play me you deluded creep! You listen here, if you think I'm just going to sit back and let you manipulate Reid like that then you've got another thing coming! I hunt criminals and creeps every day so I know how psychopaths like you think! I'm not letting you hurt Reid any more than you did before! You hear me?!"

* * *

Tobias felt his stomach drop as the agent spoke darkly. Deep down he knew that he deserved that and could even understand how Spencer's friend felt but at the same time he knew he would never hurt the young man again.

If only he can make this agent see that for himself.

"I…I'm sorry for everything my father and Raphael did to Spencer and even more so for my part in all of that, truly I am. I…never wanted to hurt him, please understand that. I know that you have no reason to trust my word but do know that I care for Spencer and if I could, I would have prevented all the bad things that ever happened to him. I-"

"Bad?" The man lethally growled, "You think that what you did to Reid was 'bad'? …No, bad was when you twisted the Bible to make it sound like a bunch of vindictive crap from Hell. What you did to Reid went beyond that—what you did was unforgivable! Not only to him but what you did to those other people! You fucked up innocent lives! How do you sleep at night knowing that you destroyed the lives of the families of the people you killed?! How can you live with yourself knowing that you had an innocent women ruthlessly ripped apart by dogs?! And where the hell do you get the gall to refer to Reid as your friend after you beat him senselessly for _two fucking days straight_!"

Tobias horribly flinched from the phone as if it were a poisonous viper.

He didn't know what to say.

* * *

Just then Prentiss returned to the bullpen with Reid in tow and they both froze when they saw an outraged Morgan yelling into the phone. "Whatever game you're playing ends now! If I **ever** hear from you again, I'll go to Atlanta myself, hunt you down, and _send you to your grave in pieces!_" Then with that, he slammed down the device onto the receiver, hard.

For a moment, no one said a word as Morgan fumed in utter fury. Prentiss stared at him, stunned by what she just gathered, while Reid tried to wrap his mind around what he saw, what he heard.

When it finally clicked that Morgan just yelled at Tobias, Reid paled and he rushed over to his desk. "Morgan! What did you do?!"

Morgan rounded on Reid and glared down at him with such rage that it made the young profiler feel small and powerless.

"What did I do?" Reid internally winced at how dangerously low Morgan's voice was. "What I did was tell your _friend_ to back the fuck off."

Trying hard to ignore the disgust at Morgan's pronunciation of the word 'friend', he exclaimed, "Why did you say that?! You can't just threaten Tobias! I already told that he would never hurt me so you can't-"

"I can and I did, Reid. Trust me, I did you a favor."

He turned away from him and started to head back to his desk until Reid cried out, "You just don't get it! I can't believe that none of you will ever understand that Tobias is a good person! He never meant to do the things he did and he had no control anyways! But things are different now—Tobias has changed but all you'll ever see is an Unsub! You'll never-"

He was cut off when Morgan turned around and got in his face. "No Reid, _you_ don't get it! You're just a kid, you don't get how dangerous it is to be talking to Tobias like he _didn't_ try to kill you! Not only that but do you even understand how that affected us?!"

When a clearly distressed Reid merely stared at him, at a loss for words, he continued, "Damn it Reid, when Hankel took you, we were all frantic. We knew what he was capable of and we were afraid of that happening to you! Do you know how awful it was to sit around trying to find clues as to where Hankel could've taken you, not knowing if you were still alive or not?! It's a feeling that none of us knew we could ever experience! Cases for us have never been close before until then! For those two days we finally knew what the victim's families felt whenever we looked for their loved one! We thought the same dark thoughts they had, we had the same nightmares they had, and we felt that same horrible feeling that just wouldn't go away!"

He briefly paused and looked away, his tone softer and more reflective as he went on: "I don't think any of us have ever worked so hard in our life and it was so damn hard to focus knowing that you were out there somewhere scared shitless. You don't know how awful it was to see JJ so broken up. She was so guilty for supposedly letting you get kidnapped that she couldn't sleep. She kept beating herself up over it and as much as I knew that it wasn't her fault, I couldn't help but be pissed with her anyways.

"When we saw you on the Internet for the first time, we were horrified to see how badly Hankel had treated you. You looked terrified as hell and it hurt knowing that there was nothing me or the others could do. We've all felt helpless before but never like that…

"And when Hankel put you online the second time…he-he _killed_ you. Garcia and Gideon witnessed that and…I've never seen Gideon so distraught before and Garcia…she was bawling her eyes out. She thought that sending a virus out to Hankel's system would help but when he took it out on you…she thought that your death was her fault. It was even worse for Gideon; he would've never lived with himself if you hadn't come back.

"When we found you we were so relieved and so happy. I…I don't believe in God but I thanked Him when we found you safe and alive. But afterwards was hard with the Dilaudid and the trauma. There was nothing any of us could do to make things better—we couldn't erase your nightmares and we couldn't get rid of your addiction. Those…those were some of the hardest months any of us had to face."

Suddenly Morgan's face contorted to anger. "After all that you think that you can just talk to Hankel and become friends! Reid…Tobias kidnapped and tortured you and he's killed innocent people! _How_ can you be okay with that?!"

Reid stared at him in shock as his turbulent emotions raged within him. Guilt, frustration, and devastation in particular warred against one another, fighting for dominance and fighting for their voice.

In the end, devastation won. "Because it wasn't his fault. You…you just don't understand. If you would only talk to him and have a nice, _real_ conversation with him, then you'd know I'm right. But that's obviously never going to happen." Then without waiting for a response, Reid hurriedly rushed out of the bullpen and headed for the elevator, leaving behind an incredulous yet still furious Morgan and a very stunned Prentiss.

_Why can't they just try and understand?_

* * *

Tobias stared at the phone in his hand, not seeing the object but instead seeing Spencer hunched over in a ditch, digging a grave for himself and all the other people that Charles and Raphael murdered in cold blood.

A crime that Tobias took part in.

The agent's words loudly rang within him like the bells of Notre Dame, stirring up raw emotions that he hasn't felt in a while. Pain and guilt resurfaced with a horrible, ugly vengeance, only this time with a harder blow.

This agent had plunged a knife into his heart, twisted it, and yanked it out only to repeat the process. Tobias felt terrible over how appalling his deeds were, how he did nothing to stop the monsters that were his father and an archangel.

But even his staggering shame didn't compare to how severely it pained him to hear just how much Spencer's friends despised him. That agent made it clear enough that they'll never trust him nor accept that he's genuinely moral.

And that just burned worse than the metal cross seared onto his head.

"Just what the hell are you doing now, boy?!"

Tobias didn't try to hide his exasperation as his father appeared and stood next to him. _Not now._

"It's none of your business and it's not like you'd care anyways."

Charles fumed at his emotionless tone and then angrily struck him across the face. "Don't you talk to me that way, boy, you treat me with respect!"

Tobias merely shrugged, the sting of the blow going numb. "Why should I? You've never been civil to me so why should I respect you?"

He was answered by another punch to the face that split his lip and drew blood. "You should respect me because _I'm_ your father! _I'm_ the one who raised an ungrateful, pathetic, sinning bastard like you! _I'm_ the one who tried to save you from retribution! But obviously it was all in vain just to have you defy me in the eyes of God! I deserve better than you!"

Tobias rubbed his face and tonelessly replied, "Well then that makes two of us."

It took some time before the guards could grab Charles and inject him but by then, Tobias was left with sickening bruises and the lingering words of the FBI agent resounding through his mind as the medicine snatched him and plunged him into darkness.

By the time he was unconscious, he missed the call of one Spencer Reid, who had desperately tried to get back to him only to be told that Tobias was unable to answer the phone, leaving him horribly distressed and miserable.

* * *

**Well...that could've gone better. Hope that didn't put a damper on anyone's day :/**

**It was a bit difficult writing this out so let me know if I messed up on any of the characters, especially in regards to Morgan. Also, how's the pacing of this story; is it going too fast or too slow? I could really use some feedback. I enjoy hearing constructive criticism so have at it :)**

**Well I've got nothing left to say. Thanks for reading and enjoy your day! :D**

**P.S I miss Gideon :(**


	7. Fire and Blood

**Hello guys and gals! Hope you appreciate the early update! I did it because your guys' support is flattering :)**

**I'd like to personally acknowledge songwriterforlife99! I'd like to give you a huge, walloping load of gratitude and thanks! Your comments were exactly what I needed to hear and they reassured me of my progress! Thank you! :D **

**Liliane: I'm so sorry to hear that you were sad. I hope you're feeling cheery now :)**

**As always, your comments are very nice and I enjoy hearing from you! I'm glad you're liking this story and your support is wonderful! :D**

**Guest: I'm sorry to hear that but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. Although it made me second guess an idea I had for this story ;)**

**I'd like to thank you though for reading my story and paying attention to the author's note!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize**

**Warnings: brief mild language, blood, violence, spoilers to season 4 "...And Back", season 5 "Nameless Faceless"**

* * *

The next day found George Foyet outside the institution, parked nearby in a dark sedan. He had been there for a while but he didn't mind waiting—he had managed to wait for Aaron at his apartment for hours before he was able to ambush him, he can do it again.

Besides, he had Agent Reid's letters to Tobias to keep him entertained. There were so many and he's already read more than half. Eventually though he got bored -especially since most of the topics droned on about pathetic mundane topics- and skipped to the most recent one.

Now _that_ one caught his interest.

Foyet sneered, enjoying that the young doctor seemed to be going through a few issues and was pleased to discover that good ol' Aaron was directly a part of it. He was currently rereading that letter until he looked at his watch. Realizing that it was almost nine in the morning, he smirked.

He carefully and somewhat reluctantly put the letter back in its place and waited, waited for the right moment to descend upon him.

And when it does, his patience will be handsomely rewarded.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tobias had woken up groggy and desolate. The day before when his father was forcibly given medication, Tobias experienced the same sensation of weariness that often occurred when he, Charles, or Raphael were injected. However instead of being unconscious for a couple of hours, Tobias had somehow managed to sleep through until the next morning.

_They must've used a bit more medicine this time._

Sighing to himself, Tobias lay back into his bed and settled with reading Bless Me, Ultima until a guard came to escort him to breakfast. He attempted to lose himself in his book in order to momentarily forget the conversation he had with Spencer's FBI friend.

But try as he might, the memory harshly slammed into him until his stomach clenched with a torturous form of agony, needlessly tormenting him. He knew how badly words can hurt but never like this—never before had he taken words to heart.

Maybe it was because before he met Spencer, Tobias didn't have the heart to feel anything other than worthlessness and self-disdain.

"Interesting book choice you have—I take that it's religious?"

Tobias wasn't surprised to see Raphael standing over him, glancing at his book with mild interest—he had sensed his glorified presence the moment he emerged.

Raphael glanced at the title of the book. "It's good to see that you're finally reading something worthy in the eyes of God. He'll be pleased to see that you've stopped reading demonic literature, even if it's temporary."

Tobias looked up at him. "Just because I read something that isn't the Bible doesn't mean that it's demonic."

Raphael narrowed his eyes in disapproval. "It's a pity that you're so ignorant of the Christian world. It'll be a pleasure when you pay for your sins in the most agonizing way God deems fit."

_…Doesn't the Bible say that God is forgiving and loving, even to sinners?_

However, Tobias bit back that retort and merely stared at the archangel, looking into lifeless, soulless eyes, eyes that should have never belonged to a messenger of God. Tobias blinked and for a moment saw Foyet sneering at him with those same eyes.

Eyes without life, eyes without compassion, eyes without the soul of a human being.

Eyes that held the blackened soul of a heartless spawn of Satan.

Raphael stared back and then shook his head. "I don't know where your father went wrong. He has tried to convert you to the path of right for many years yet you've willingly scorned him. He knows best when it comes to your spirituality so why must you defy him?"

Tobias looked at him incredulously and retorted, "He doesn't know best! He's made countless mistakes -no, _sins_- in his lifetime! Even now he's blind to the evil in front of him! Raphael…what my father's told you about George Foyet is wrong! He's nothing but a murderer who kills because he enjoys it, not because he feels that it's his duty to God!"

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know that? You've turned your back on God."

"No I haven't! If I did, then I wouldn't be telling you about Foyet! He's a corrupt, immoral man! My father obviously can't see that himself but I'm hoping you can! Please, I've talked to Foyet myself and I know that he's wicked and unholy! You need to understand that my father's perception of Foyet is wrong!"

Raphael's expression clearly showed that he didn't believe him. "I'll see for myself the next time Foyet comes by; whether or not he's trustworthy, I'd like to assess him for myself. I'll determine if he's pure or if he's a sinner."

Before Tobias could reply, two guards walked in and one of them said, "Morning Tobias. Breakfast time."

Taking a quick glance at Raphael, Tobias got up and went over to them without a comment. To his dismay, the archangel soon got up and followed him out.

If the guards were uneasy about Raphael's company then they didn't show it and they chose to ignore him, probably not seeing him as a threat. The archangel in turn was wise enough to keep his comments to himself.

Once they reached the cafeteria, the guards left Tobias and Raphael alone. Trying his best to avoid the archangel, Tobias quickly went in line and grabbed his breakfast before taking a seat. However, Raphael didn't take the hint and merely followed along and sat with him.

Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Tobias slowly ate his toast and looked around the room for Ben; as much as he hated missing another meal with him, he'll have to take a rain check—he still needed to talk to Raphael about Foyet.

The archangel noticed his wandering eyes and inquired, "I presume you're waiting for that possessed sinner?"

Tobias narrowed his eyes at him. "Benjamin is not a possessed sinner and you know it—you just refuse to acknowledge it since you hate being wrong."

Raphael frowned at him. "I am never wrong."

"So you say." Tobias knew that if he wanted Raphael on his side then it obviously wasn't the best idea to speak so impudently to him. But he couldn't help himself if Raphael was going to be so stubborn.

Thankfully he was spared another criticism from the archangel when he noticed Benjamin cheerfully walking over to them. "Good morning, Tobias! How are you today?! Where were you yesterday?! Were you sick or were you having issues with those pig-headed jerks Charles and Raphael again?!"

It was almost comical to see Raphael appear offended. "Yeah, it was my father again and I'm afraid that we can't eat together this morning either—as you can see, Raphael has decided to join me."

When he indicated to the archangel, at first Ben didn't seem to notice him until his blue eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh okay. Should I give you guys some privacy?"

"Unfortunately yes, I'll catch up with you later though—I have a lot to tell you…regarding that advice you gave me yesterday."

Almost instantly Ben's eyes glimmered with enthusiasm. "Oh no way! Really?! Awesome! I need details later!"

"Sure thing. I'll see you later then!" Tobias matched Benjamin's grin, despite Raphael's disapproving expression as he watched the exchange.

"Alright! Later!" Then Ben turned around to leave only to nearly run into an agitated Earl.

The other inmate scowled at Benjamin and growled, "Outta my way, halfwit! The Slender man is walking!"

Immediately Ben's buoyancy darkened to a glare. "The Slender man doesn't exist, Earl! You're just a lunatic!"

Earl set his jaw and retorted, "I'd use my powers to kill you here and now to prove it to ya, cretin, but I got more important things to do!" Then with that he shoved Benjamin out of the way and stalked closer to Tobias's table. Ben scowled at him but remained in his spot as he watched Earl fixate Tobias and Raphael.

Suddenly Tobias grew nervous as Earl's crazed eyes pierced his soul and he drew closer. Raphael, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease as he glanced up at the newcomer.

Earl stepped in close and leaned against the table. "Hankel! Still think I'm crazy, boy? Do ya?"

Alarmed by the lethal look in his gaze, Tobias was conflicted whether or not keeping silent was the best thing to do when Raphael spoke up: "If crazy defines you as being a deranged simpleton who's been possessed by the Devil, then yes you are crazy."

Tobias bit back a groan as Earl began to fume. _Don't instigate him…_

However, something passed over Earl and his furious glare morphed into a twisted sneer, sending Tobias on high alert. Earl was unhinged as it was but Tobias had yet to truly see him angry…

"Funny you should mention the Devil since I'm gonna send you to Hell!" Suddenly Earl snatched something out of his pocket and lunged at him! Tobias instinctively sprung out of his seat as Earl plunged something into his chair!

_It was a switchblade!_

Tobias widened his eyes in terror as Earl yanked out the knife and came at him again! Yelling in fear Tobias avoided the knife and moved to the other side of the table, putting some distance in-between them. However Earl followed him and swiped at him, just barely missing him!

Subconsciously Tobias heard Ben's startled cry as he called his name but focused on that weapon of death that chased after him swipe by swipe. Earl was relentless and he swung blindly at him, always too close for comfort. Tobias dodged numerous, aimless swipes, praying desperately for someone to intervene.

_He's trying to kill me, he's trying to kill me, he's trying to kill me!_

Fear and adrenaline were the only things that kept Tobias on his toes and kept him moving. Earl snarled and used his anger to fuel the intensity of his strikes. By now all the inmates were aware of the incident and were all backed away, avoiding the fight yet able to witness everything as they shouted their encouraging remarks.

_Help! Someone!_

However the guards were unable to step in and were inadvertently held back by the zealous inmates. From the corner of his eye Tobias noticed Ben standing nearby, frozen with horror and highly apprehensive over what to do. _Ben, RUN! Get away from here before he attacks you!_

And somewhere in-between the flurry of metallic strikes, Tobias briefly realized that Raphael had disappeared, gone without a trace. He was left alone to run from the blade that was intent on horribly maiming him.

At one point, Tobias managed to grab his food tray and hit Earl mid-strike. The harsh sound of metal slicing metal screeched throughout the room, dominant over the uproar of the riled inmates who cheered on the fight.

Tobias held up the tray in front of him like a shield as his heart raced faster than a shrew's. Noises filled the area but he could only see the murderous glint of Earl's raving eyes and the knife in his hand.

_He's trying to kill me, he's trying to kill me, HE'S TRYING TO KILL ME!_

An extremely infuriated Earl lunged for him again and when Tobias attempted to block the blow, Earl unexpectedly struck him across the face with his fist! Tobias accidentally dropped the tray and staggered against the table, momentarily caught off guard but it was long enough for Earl—the inmate took that chance to slice the knife across his stomach!

Tobias cried out and fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding wound. A burning sensation seared within him and set his insides aflame with an intense, blazing pain as bright spots appeared before him. It was as if fire melted into his stomach where the gleaming metal tore into his flesh, leaving an agonizing burn.

Tobias felt blood gushing from his wound and his hands automatically pressed tighter to suppress the torrents. His vision was blurry but he vaguely saw Earl looming over him, his eyes dancing with malicious delight, ready to go for the kill until his form was suddenly ripped away.

Though dazed, Tobias still managed to see Ben fighting Earl and repeatedly punching him, the switchblade carelessly knocked away. His head ached from blood loss but he refused to let it get to him as he watched in utter horror as Ben brawled with Earl.

"Ben…" he rasped, taking in a shuttering breath, "No…"

Blood. So much blood pooled around him. And the pain…

Was this what Raphael's victims felt?

His hazy vision started to blacken but he was able to see the guards finally get through the crowd and yank Ben away from Earl. The 'Slender man' cussed up a storm and viciously struggled as several officers dragged him away. A few rushed over to Tobias and assessed his condition; as one checked his pulse, two others used their jackets to press down on his wound, suppressing the blood flow. Another immediately grabbed the switchblade and went off to dispose of it.

The guards attempted to lead a distraught Ben away but he frantically managed to escape their grasp, scramble over to Tobias, and lean over him, desperately calling his name.

Fragmented words formed into one thought before Tobias went unconscious.

_I don't want to die…I'm not ready for Hell._

* * *

**Who around here wants to destroy Earl and Foyet? (Raises hand)**

**So yeah that sucked. Poor Tobias, poor Ben :(**

**Thanks to all those sticking around to read this! I'm thrilled by the new followers and story favorite people! You guys makes me feel special! :D**


	8. Perfection Painted in Blood

**Hello Fanfic people! What's up?!**

**The response I received for the last chapter is amazing! You guys are just the coolest ever! I especially appreciate you reviewers! For some reason, most of your comments made me laugh! Thanks for the smile!**

**I should probably warn you all that this fic is very...angsty. I mean you've probably figured it out for yourself but just know that the angst is only going to continue. Don't get me wrong, there will be some lighter moments but for the most part this story is angsty. I won't blame any of you if you stopped reading but if you like angst...well then here you go :)**

**Liliane: Your review made me laugh! I enjoy your enthusiasm about hating on Earl and your appreciation of Foyet is respected and highly understood. I'm glad to hear your thoughts because it lets me know you're interested! I'm so glad that you're happy now! I can't help but be sad when someone else is. Take care!**

**Guest: Hey you're back! Nice to read from you again! :)**

**Oh don't think that I was mad at you or anything or that you completely changed my mind; I was actually contemplating this idea involving Gideon but I had some reserves. I was already about to forget it but your review just gave it the incentive. It's a good thing, trust me. Also thank you for your thoughts and opinions! I appreciate hearing from you! **

**Warnings: angst (heh...), mild language, blood, violence, gore**

* * *

Pain…there was so much pain…

Searing pain burned through him and blinded him.

Tobias heard the screams of the institution's inmates, the furious snarls of Earl amidst his deranged cackles, and Ben's hysterical voice calling his name over and over again. He felt fire lick his stomach only to be frozen over by an icy hot sensation.

Nightmares plagued him and often times he would see Foyet leaning over Raphael's past victims with blood dripping over his knife. There would be blood coating his mouth, trickling down and tainting his pure-white teeth and morphing his sneer into a gruesome grin. At one point, he was looming over a lifeless body as his soulless eyes darkly seized his attention. Tobias got a closer look at the body and felt his muscles lock.

It was Spencer.

The young man was lying on the floor, choking on his own blood, his skin deathly pale and his normally bright hazel eyes dulled. Foyet laughed as he stood over him, sounding like Satan himself.

Outside of his mind, Tobias squirmed fitfully in his sleep, sweating with fever, until the nurses rushed in to give him some morphine. Afterwards Tobias dreamt of his father and Raphael as they criticized him and yelled at him for being a disgrace.

Tobias was stuck in this hellish limbo for several hours.

* * *

Meanwhile in another part of Atlanta, George Foyet was leaning over his latest victim, admiring his work. He had just murdered a young girl in her early twenties and he had to admit that he did a damn good job with this one.

It had just been too easy.

Foyet had some time to spare and he was bored so he drove out into the city. Then he met that lovely young girl who had nicely told him that he had dropped his wallet. Foyet knew that he had to thank her…so he killed her.

The Reaper smirked as he remembered the look on the girl's face when he towered over her with a gun in his hand; her eyes had glistened with tears and were widened with undiluted fear. She had begged him to let her go, she'll do anything, and she looked so pathetic that he just couldn't shoot her.

So he stabbed her 73 times instead.

Foyet released a low chuckle as he stared down at the bloodied corpse. A true masterpiece really, honestly one of his best.

But it wasn't complete yet.

The Reaper glanced at his bloodstained knife and sadistically smiled. Just one final touch…

Kneeling over the girl, Foyet plunged his knife into her again and began to carve a pattern into her torso. He first sliced a diagonal line going up, then at the tip a diagonal line going down, and then connecting them both at the bottom to create a triangle.

Then he carefully, almost gently, ripped out the knife only to thrust it in again, drawing a lot more blood. Foyet craftily dug a hole into the girl's stomach, right within the triangle, and then etched a circle around it.

The eye of providence, his _favorite_ symbol.

Giving the knife a final twist and imagining the girl's piercing scream that could've followed, Foyet yanked the knife out of the body and marveled further at his art. It was perfect.

But unfortunately he couldn't stay for very long—someone was bound to notice him. However, he couldn't leave just yet. Foyet searched his pockets and found a silver watch—Dr. Carson's watch to be precise. The Reaper quickly picked up the girl's wrist and attached the watch to it. Then he removed the golden locket she wore around her neck and placed it in his pocket, his leather-gloved fingers caressing the fine gold and inadvertently smearing more blood onto it.

Yet it didn't matter—his next victim wouldn't care if it was stained or not anyways.

Grinning to himself, Foyet slowly got up, wiped his blade on his pants, removed the black resin paintball mask he wore, and left the alley. He then got into his car and drove to his new apartment—it wasn't as nice as Dr. Carson's but it was suitable for his purpose.

Hiding.

Watching.

Waiting.

And he's been waiting for about three days now. Ever since Tobias was admitted to the hospital, Foyet has been anxiously waiting for his release. From what he's gathered, Tobias wasn't badly injured and only suffered from a moderate cut across the stomach, not so deep that it was lethal but deep enough to cause some blood loss.

An amateur swipe.

But Foyet had to give Earl some credit—he did exactly what Foyet wanted him to do and it perfectly executed his plans. Now all he has to do is wait until he hears word of Tobias's discharge.

Which could be any day now.

To make sure though, Foyet sat down at the kitchen table and opened his laptop, checking the hospital records he had hacked. His light brown eyes scanned the numerous documents and searched for one Tobias Hankel.

Eventually he found an updated report of Hankel's condition and he quickly read through it. Gradually his eyes gleamed with excitement as he found the information he wanted.

Tobias was set to be released this afternoon.

Perfect.

Without a moment to spare, Foyet grabbed his knife, placed it in his jacket, and then went to grab his revolver, a .44 Magnum S&W 629, and placed more bullets into it for good measure. Finally ready to go, Foyet left the apartment, got into his car, and drove to the hospital. Then he parked the car and waited, keeping his eyes glued to the entrance. He noticed a squad car parked in the front and presumed that it was for Tobias's departure.

Perfect.

Grinning with satisfaction, Foyet got out of the sedan and went to the trunk. He opened it and pulled out the tool he was looking for: a slim jim lock pick. Pulling out the thin strip of metal, Foyet admired it glinting in the sunlight before slamming the trunk shut. Then glancing around to see if anyone was looking, Foyet made his way over to the squad car and shoved the metal in-between the car door where it connected to the window and then began to jumble around the device, trying to pick the lock.

After a couple of moments of frustration, Foyet finally heard the click he wanted and he pulled open the backseat door. His grin grew wider with malevolence; now all he had to do was wait.

Then the real fun will begin.

* * *

Hiding in the BAU men's bathroom stall was an anxious Spencer Reid who sat on the closed, porcelain toilet bowl with his cell phone in hand. His knuckles were white from tightly clenching the device as his ear was firmly pressed to it.

_C'mon, c'mon, c'mon…someone pick up!_

Eventually a voice picked up after what felt like a century of waiting. "This is the Atlanta Institution, how may we help you?"

Relieved to hear an actual human voice rather than a drone voice mail, Reid released a low breath. "Yes, hi, this is Dr. Spencer Reid from the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. I'm calling in regards to one of your inmates, Tobias Hankel. Is it possible that I may speak to him immediately?"

"I'm sorry sir but that's not possible. Mr. Hankel is currently unavailable so I'm afraid you'll have to call him another time."

"But I've been trying to call him these past three days!" Reid frantically exclaimed, "I've called the institution a total of 11 times and 4 of those times I had gotten voice mail to which _no one_ has bothered to call me back and the other 7 times I've been told the same answer of his unavailability! Please, you must get him to the phone! I really need to speak with him!"

"I'm sorry Dr. Reid but it's been a hectic few days here. There's been an incident that's kept us busy and prevents Mr. Hankel from taking phone calls."

Reid's stomach sank with an awful sense of dread. "What happened?"

The person hesitated before replying, "Are you a close friend or relative of Tobias's?"

"Yes, I am; I've been sending him letters."

"Alright…I hate to be the one to tell you this but Tobias has been terribly injured. Three days earlier a fight broke out between Tobias and one of the other inmates and a switchblade was involved. Tobias was wounded and was quickly rushed to the hospital."

For a moment it was as if time had frozen him in that spot. Reid felt the walls closing in on him and suffocating him.

_Tobias was injured…with a switchblade!_

The young profiler paled at the thought of Tobias bleeding on the floor as a faceless inmate stood over him with a sadistic, satisfied grin on his face, gleaming with pleasure. Imagining Tobias's lifeless body made Reid's stomach violently turn and he felt sick.

But he managed to swallow any oncoming bile and quietly whisper, "How badly was he hurt?"

"Luckily not as bad as it could've been. Hankel lost a lot of blood but we got help in time. He managed to suffer a moderate wound that wasn't too deep and can easily be stitched up. From what I've been told his injury looked worse than what it was and that he should be back any day now. There's no need to worry."

The metallic restraints in his gut slowly eased. "Okay, that's good. Who…who was it that attacked him?"

"Another inmate named Earl Rogers. He and Hankel have always been at odds so it's not really surprising. People say that Rogers attacked Hankel and Tobias didn't really fight back and was just trying to avoid the man. Thankfully me and the other guards got to him before he could cause more damage but it was still pretty damn ugly."

_Earl…of course. Who else hates Tobias enough to attempt such a crime?_

Reid nervously swallowed and attempted to control his suddenly irregular breathing. "What's being done about the situation?"

"I don't know for sure yet but I believe that once Hankel's discharged then he'll come back here and take it easy for a few days before he gets back into the system of things. I'm not too sure about Rogers though—hopefully we can relocate him to another institution but in the meantime he's in solitary confinement."

Reid's heart somersaulted over his stomach. _Earl's still at the institution! Even after…_

"And approximately how long is it going to take for Earl to be transferred somewhere else?"

"Hmmm…I don't know, depending on how long the paperwork takes, it could take from a couple of days to a couple of weeks."

"WHAT?! And you're okay with that?! Earl attacked Tobias and he's still there?! He should've been sent off the moment he was apprehended! What if he tries again?! Are you taking the necessary precautions to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again?! What are you doing to-"

"Sir, please calm down!" The person on the other end placated, "There's no need to be alarmed, we've got it all covered. We're keeping Earl in solitary confinement until further notice so he won't be trying anything."

That did little to relax Reid yet he begrudgingly had to accept it. "Alright…now can you tell me how on earth he was able to acquire such a dangerous weapon?"

"We're still trying to figure that out."

Reid held back a groan. "I see…well then can you call me when Tobias gets back; I want to make sure he's okay."

"I'll see what I can do. You said your name is Dr. Spencer Reid, correct?"

"Yes, you can reach me by calling the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI in Quantico, Virginia; just say that you'd like to speak with me." _And nothing else regarding Tobias._

"Again, I'll see what I can do. Try not to worry so much though, everything's under control now. Tobias will be back in no time."

"I hope so. Thank you for your time."

"No problem." Then with that, the person hung up. Reid sighed as he closed his phone shut.

Tobias was injured.

He's currently at the hospital because he got stabbed…_with a switchblade._

Reid felt himself getting sick again as he tightly clutched the bathroom stall. The thought left gruesome images imprinted in his mind and it scared the hell out of him.

He already knew that Earl was unhinged and that he had a particular disliking to Tobias -or at least 'Raphael' from what he's been told- but this…this was horrible.

Only two thoughts dominated Reid's potential for rational thinking: the ghastly image of a macabre scene that starred a bloodied Tobias and a bloodthirsty Earl.

And the question of how on earth Earl managed to get ahold of such a dangerous weapon.

Both notions warred against one another and prevented Reid from focusing on anything but those anxieties. All day he worried about Tobias and prayed that he would be okay.

_I don't know what I'd do if Tobias didn't recover…_

* * *

"Alright just sign here and you're free to go." Tobias watched as one of the officers with him scrawled his signature on his discharge papers as the other held him by the arm. Once he was finished, he and his colleague began to escort a handcuffed Tobias through the hospital.

Tobias quietly sighed as they walked along the white-washed hallways. Three days in the hospital may not seem very long but to him, it was as if time purposely slowed for him. Healing itself was simple but it was the company he kept during the process.

Without the institution workers giving him medication and looking out for him, Tobias was forced to room with his father and Raphael again. Charles was there for most of the time and he was often criticized for being 'a weak imbecile who can't fight like a man', while Raphael refused to even speak to him, most likely ashamed for leaving him alone in the fray but stubbornly not bothering to acknowledge it.

And when they actually left him alone, Tobias was plagued with the memory of what had happened. He clearly remembered every detail and every word that progressed and it tortured him. Tobias just couldn't shake the image of Earl blindly lashing out at him, the gleam of silver swiping just a hair from his face.

He recalled the intense pain he felt when the knife burned him with its hellish touch and how ecstatic Earl looked as his eyes lit up with immense pleasure. Those eyes and that cruel, ruthless smile haunted him during daylight and nighttime.

It made him positively sick.

He unconsciously touched the folded picture of Benjamin's ninjas in his pocket, lightly grasping it for comfort. It had been with him when Earl attacked and he had managed to hang onto it when he was taken to the hospital, the nurses being nice enough to hold onto it for him when they took him into surgery. Holding onto it gave him a small light of relief and kept him breathing.

That picture proved to be something of a guardian angel while he was trapped with two of the Devil's spawns within that blank-walled asylum they called a hospital.

Tobias was nudged out his thoughts when he and the officers made it out the exit and were walking through the parking lot. Suddenly his stomach felt queasy. "Um, excuse me?" The two policemen glanced at him. "Are…are you taking me back to the institution?"

One of them nodded. "Yup, you're going back."

Tobias flinched slightly and stuttered, "But…but w-what a-b-bout Earl? I-i-is he still t-there?"

"Earl?" The other one spoke up, "Oh you mean the guy who attacked you." Completely oblivious to Tobias's violent flinch, he continued, "Don't worry about him—I'm sure they've got him taken care of. They're probably going to transfer him out anyways."

Tobias's shoulders slightly relaxed. _Slightly_. "Oh, okay." Then he kept silent as they approached the car. Without another comment, one of the officers opened the door to the backseat while the other released Tobias and gave him a gentle shove in. Once Tobias slid into the car, the policeman buckled his seatbelt and closed the door behind him and went around the car to the passenger seat.

Soon both officers were strapped in the car was roaring to life and was travelling down the road. Tobias sat in the backseat, more or less comfortable, and settled into the cushion. He was surprised that there wasn't one of those metal bars that separated the cops from the criminal between the backrests of the front seats.

_I suppose they don't see me as much of a threat. Good thing they're not taking my father too or then they'd have problems._

Tobias shifted in his seat and then felt something weird under his feet. Looking down, he realized that his feet were unknowingly on top of a lumpy bundle covered by some tarp rather than on the floor.

_What on earth is that?_

Thinking that it was probably an item of the officers, Tobias instantly moved his legs so that his feet were resting on the seat next to him. Then his heart stopped when the bundle twitched slightly in response.

_Did…did that just…__**move**__?!_

He stared at it unblinkingly for a few seconds before thinking he probably imagined it.

Until it moved again.

Then his eyes widened as the bundle stretched and moved until the tarp slid off.

_Underneath was George Foyet!_

Tobias couldn't breathe, couldn't move as he watched Foyet remove the tarp from around him and sit up. Catching his glance, he smirked at him and Tobias cringed back.

_Oh dear god…_

Foyet looked from him to the negligent officers sitting in front and then back to him, gesturing for him to keep quiet as he slowly, almost dramatically pulled out a knife.

_Like hell I will!_

But before he could shout a warning, Foyet suddenly leapt up and brutally stabbed the driver in the neck, impaling both bone and muscle as the blade sliced from the back to the throat! Choking in pain, the officer's eyes popped in alarm and his hands automatically flinched off the wheel to grab at his neck. The policeman next to him quickly whipped his head at his partner and then looked back to see Foyet grinning maliciously.

As the officer tried to process the situation, Foyet viciously yanked the blade out and thrust it into the second policeman, stabbing him in the shoulder. The man yelled out in pain and instantly tried to dislodge it. The driver meanwhile clutched his neck that was gushing blood, unable to breathe.

Foyet then ripped the knife from the officer's shoulder only to seize a fistful of his hair, yank back his head, and savagely slit the man's throat! Tobias cried out in fear as the policeman screamed and instinctively grasp his neck, striving to stop the bleeding.

All the while the driver was desperately gasping for breath, his eyes rolled back into his head. The car started swerving to the side, commanded by impulse, and began to lose control. As Foyet watched with excitement over his attack, Tobias watched in horror as the officers bled in front of him.

They were slowly dying in the most excruciating way possible.

"No!" He unexpectedly cried out, causing Foyet to glance at him. The two stared at one another, appalled light brown eyes staring into soulless brown eyes that blazed with sadistic ecstasy.

For a brief moment, Tobias knew he was looking into the eyes of Satan.

However, something compelled Tobias to look away and his eyes widened further when his focus shifted to the road ahead of them.

_The car was heading straight for a tree!_

Before Tobias could even scream, the car slammed viciously into the unforgiving, invincible tree trunk and was violently thrown forward, his head slamming into the driver seat headrest. He saw blood tainting a bright light as he simultaneously heard the sickening metallic crunch of the car crashing into the tree along with Foyet's loud cursing. Glass shattered upon impact and flinging into the two barely alive officers in the front, instantly killing them as the shards gruesomely mutilated them.

It was silent as smoke steamed from the destroyed engine and Foyet breathed heavily next him.

The impact of the crash left a sharp pain with Tobias's skull and he immediately saw his vision beginning to blur. He barely noticed Foyet slowly getting up, gingerly opening the door, getting out, and heading over to Tobias's side.

The last thing he saw was Foyet opening his door and gloved, bloody hands reaching for him before he blacked out.

* * *

**...Please don't kill me.**

**Um, so at the risk of sounding terribly naïve but is the content of this considered 'triggering'? To be honest, I've never understood what authors meant when they mention that their story has 'triggering' material or what's classified as 'triggering'. Could someone please explain it to me and let me know if this chapter is 'triggering'?**

**So anyways, thanks as always for reading! Stick around for more! :D**

**P.S You do _not_ know how hard it was to delve into the sick, murderous, psychotic mind of George Foyet...**


	9. Making Connections

**Good Morgan everyone! XD**

**See what I did there?! My mom greets me that way in the morning if I happen to be especially grumpy. It's guaranteed to pull me out of my moody funk in a snap! ;)**

**Liliane: Hello, hello! You really think so? Thank you! I'm honestly immensely flattered by that! And I appreciate that you quoted the chapter! I'm glad to hear you say that because Foyet truly is a challenge to write out!**

**Whoa, watch out! Now I'm curious to see what you wrote...;)**

**Haha no worries about babbling, I do it all the time! I'm super shy so whenever I meet new people, I just go on and say the weirdest things! I make quite the impression! XD**

**Your offer sounds tempting but no thank you! XD Just kidding! Hope you enjoy this! :)**

**Warnings: language, mentions of drugs, blood, and violence, spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations", spoilers to season 4 "Omnivore" and "...And Back", spoilers to season 5 "Nameless, Faceless" (geesh...)**

* * *

Early the next morning, Aaron Hotchner was sitting at his desk looking over some familiar case files, the same ones that he's checked over and over and over again.

George Foyet's case.

He looked on at the numerous crime scenes with dead, helpless victims, courtesy of Foyet. Hotchner glanced at every body, all the blood and set his jaw when he came across the picture of the bus Foyet had shot up. This shouldn't have happened. If he had only made the deal…

No. He didn't regret not making the deal, it was the right thing to do.

After all, he doesn't make deals with criminals, especially with ones like the Reaper.

_I don't make deals; I'm the guy who hunts guys like you._

_You should've made the deal…_

Instinctively Hotch's hand tightened as the memory of the attack in his apartment burned within his mind. He had fought but he had lost—now he was left 9 scars etched into his torso as a reminder that the Reaper is capable of horrible things.

He lightly touched one now as he heavily sighed. Yet worst of all, his failure was the reason why Hayley and Jack were in danger. If he had only known. If he had only been stronger, smarter…

He was startled out of his thoughts when the phone at his desk began to ring. He looked up and then picked up the device. "Hotchner."

"Special Agent Hotchner! This is Atlanta's city police chief Edward Sullivan! I have information regarding Boston's serial killer George Foyet and was told to contact you!"

Once that accursed name slipped out, Hotchner instantly stiffened and became alert. "What do you have?"

"Well we've recently discovered the body of a young girl named Rita Dallas. She was found dead in an alley with multiple stab wounds and the eye of providence carved into her torso. We've just sent you the crime scene photos."

Hotchner set his jaw yet was confused; ever since Foyet escaped prison, he hasn't attacked anyone other than Hotch.

What changed?

"I see. But how can you be sure that this one murder is the work of Foyet? He was last seen here in Quantico so it's unlikely that he's in Atlanta. You could be dealing with a copycat killer."

"We've considered the possibility but we have evidence that it was him; we have witnesses who have claimed to have seen him. Foyet was spotted in an institution visiting an inmate and was apparently impersonating a psychiatrist named Harold Carson. We've investigated the real Dr. Carson but we've discovered his apartment empty yet there were signs of someone's recent occupation—he's been deemed missing and presumably killed by Foyet."

"So one possible murder and an official murder," Hotchner murmured as he nodded to himself. "And you know for a fact that he's been at this institution?"

"Yes, the Director had called us and informed us of this. According to him, Foyet had presumably given a patient a switchblade so that he could go after the inmate he was visiting."

"And who was he visiting?"

"A local criminal named Tobias Hankel. From what I know you've apprehended him before."

Tobias Hankel.

Hotchner froze at that name and numbly listened on as Chief Sullivan explained how Foyet had provided another patient with the means to attack Hankel, sending him to a hospital. Then to his horror, Foyet managed to hijack the car transporting Hankel back to the institution and proceeded to murder the guards driving him. When the police had gotten to the scene, they found the car smashed into a tree with the bodies inside and Foyet and Hankel were gone.

They escaped.

Hotchner briefly informed the chief that he and the BAU team will be there as soon as they could and in turn was promised to be promptly sent the necessary information. When he hung up, he clenched his fists together and frowned intensely at the case files in front of him.

It couldn't be coincidence that Foyet happened to choose Tobias to break out—no, it was too specific, too particular. Foyet is calculating and meticulous so it had to be planned out.

He had a scheme prepared.

But why Tobias?

Knowing Hankel's connection to the team, to Reid in particular, unnerved Hotch and silently answered his question. Somehow Foyet knew about Tobias and was going to use him to his advantage, possibly due to their similar animosities towards the team.

Hotchner wasn't sure what exactly Foyet had in mind but he didn't like it, especially if it could involve Reid.

Reminded of his subordinate, Hotchner looked out the window and spotted Reid within the bullpen. The young profiler was leaning over his paperwork, diligently working and putting his complete focus on the task at hand. Hotchner felt his heart constrict when he noticed the others, specifically Morgan, were ignoring him.

It hurt seeing the team so detached like this but there was nothing he can do but let it smooth over by itself. Things have been difficult lately and were only going to get worse with this incident regarding Foyet.

The former unit chief sighed in exasperation. There was no way in hell that he was going to ignore the case but he was even more against the idea of Reid going along. Hotch saw no other option than to leave Reid behind on this one.

It was for his own good.

Immediately Hotchner got up and left his office. He was about to head for the bullpen when he noticed a frantic JJ and an even more frazzled Garcia coming into the area. JJ held a manila folder in her hand and instantly Hotchner knew that they had gotten the files they needed.

For a brief moment JJ caught sight of Hotchner and they locked gazes, fear lighting within her eyes and determination within his. Then they simultaneously glanced over at an oblivious Reid and looked at each other again, understanding taking shape this time. She knew that he knew about the case and both realized just how dangerous and how _close _this one was.

Hotchner and JJ simultaneously walked into the bullpen with a misty-eyed Garcia following along. "Conference room. Now." Immediately the team looked up, recognized the 'no-nonsense' glint in his eyes, and wordlessly got up and headed to the conference room.

Reid grabbed his satchel and started to get up until Hotchner brusquely said, "Reid, I need a word."

The young profiler looked questioningly at him but Hotch turned to JJ and Garcia. "Start the briefing. I'll join you later." The girls exchanged glances and then nodded before hurrying to catch up with the others.

Reid looked to Hotchner with confusion. "Um, what's going on, Hotch? Is everything alright?"

The former unit chief took a moment to sigh before saying, "Reid, I'm going to be blunt—this case is in Atlanta, Georgia and it involves Tobias specifically. I've just been informed that he's escaped…with some help from Foyet."

Reid instantly stiffened, panic sharpening his hazel eyes like a scythe. Once his mind fully processed his boss's words, dozens of alarming questions rose up and rushed within him like racecars.

And all possible answers crashed and burned.

"What?! Escaped?! But…how?! Why?! Why would Foyet help Tobias escape?! Wait, how long has Foyet been in Atlanta?! When was this?! What happened?!"

Hotch raised up his hand in an appeasing gesture. "From what I've been told this escape was recent, just yesterday, and planned out specifically by Foyet; it's possible that he convinced another inmate to attack Tobias so that he may be removed from the institution. Foyet then somehow intercepted the transit back."

"Another inmate?" Reid's mind was hurriedly dashing to collect facts and details. "Earl! Earl had attacked Tobias! Did Foyet convince him to do it?! Yes, he must've and it would be easy for him to manipulate Earl with the right words, the right weapon…and then all Foyet would have to do is just sit back and wait for Earl to do his dirty work! He-"

"Reid, slow down," Hotch stated. "What are you talking about? Who's Earl?"

"Earl Rogers is an inmate at the institution. He and Tobias have never gotten along for a number of reasons. Tobias, um, often told me that he received glares from him." Reid looked mildly sheepish at Hotchner who chose to ignore it.

"I see. So you're saying that Foyet might've somehow found out about Earl and convinced him to attack Tobias."

"Precisely! But Hotch, what does Foyet want with Tobias? Their respective hometowns are states apart and the last we heard Foyet was lurking around Quantico! Why would he make the trip to Atlanta to break out Tobias?! What could he possibly want with him?! There's no reason that Foyet has any reason to talk to him and the only way they're even remotely connected is…"

Reid suddenly drifted off, his eyes widening with fear and understanding as he stared at Hotch in horror. The man nodded. "The only thing that connects them is us—the team has been there for both their cases and they each know someone in particular they dislike. I'm not sure how Foyet discovered this but we aim to get to the bottom of it."

Reid firmly nodded in return. "Alright. We better catch up with the team and then we'll head out on the next flight to Atlanta."

"No Reid." The young profiler looked taken aback over his strict declaration. "You're not going with us on this case. It's too close for you due to Tobias so I'm having you stay here. You'll help Garcia instead."

Hotchner wasn't surprised to hear an appalled, adamant "What?! NO! Hotch, you can't just leave me here! Tobias is with one of most dangerous serial killers we've ever faced! I can't ignore that—he needs me!"

"I know you want to help but it's not a good idea for you to come. You're too close to this case so it's easy to let your emotions control your decisions. Also, we have no idea what Foyet is planning to do with Tobias but he chose him for the reason that he's connected to the team, to _you_. I don't want to put you in any possible danger now that Hankel is with Foyet-"

"Hotch," Reid interrupted, "if you're conveying that Tobias might try to hurt me then you're wrong; Tobias is my friend and he would never even consider it."

"So you say," Hotch bluntly intervened, "but it's not _Tobias_ I'm worried about, it's his personalities. You and I both know that his other personalities are hostile and they have a specific hatred towards you. It's most likely that Foyet knows this and he could easily convince them to hurt you; for all we know that could be his plan, to attack us through another person."

Reid didn't bother delving into that possibility as he firmly shook his head. "You're right about 'Charles' and 'Raphael' but you forget that Tobias is also in control. Over the years, I've noticed Tobias gaining more confidence with each letter and slowly he began to obtain independence. It took him awhile but he eventually realized that his personalities can't command him. He _stood up_ to them, to his 'father' in particular. He has the strength to oppose them and will do so again. Tobias won't let them win."

Hotchner mustered his subordinate for a moment before shaking his head. "Regardless of what you think, I'm not risking putting you in danger. Besides, your affirmations are exactly what I meant by you being too close to this; I know Tobias is your friend and even if he wasn't, this case already has some…emotional scars."

He internally winced at Reid's frown yet continued: "But it's going to be more difficult seeing that he _is_ your friend. We don't know if Foyet is still with Tobias and if he is what his intentions are, though most likely bad. Who knows what he's going to do with him." Reid frowned deeper. "My point is, I'm sure that your concern for Tobias will cloud your judgment. I need everyone focused on this case and having you stressed won't do us or Tobias any good."

Reid bit back an exasperated groan. "I won't let my emotions get in the way, I promise. Please, Hotch I can't stay behind—not for this one. I need to find Tobias and bring him to safety. I'm aware of the risks because of 'Charles' and 'Raphael' but I'm willing to take them—I'm not afraid of them."

Hotchner looked surprised and partially skeptical so Reid sighed and levelly continued: "You may not think so, but I'm not. Besides you know as well as I do that you need me for this. I know Tobias better than anyone else; I can predict his moves. I know Tobias as my friend and I know his personalities from…when I was kidnapped."

The former unit chief caught the momentary hesitation in Reid's sentence yet the young man nevertheless proceeded: "If Tobias still _is_ with Foyet then we have a better chance at finding him. I know Tobias well enough to effectively track him down so if we find him, we find Foyet."

Hotch instinctively frowned at the name yet didn't say anything. Recognizing his boss's vexation, Reid reluctantly added, "Hotch, I know how much this case means to you…because of Foyet."

At Hotchner's deepened knitted brows, Reid cleared his throat and resumed, "But this could be our chance to finally apprehend him for good. If you have me along, you'll increase the prospect of finding him if he's with Tobias. However, you need me to come along to Georgia and let me help. I know you want to protect me but there's nothing to protect—I'm not the same guy that you and the team found in the graveyard those years ago."

For a moment Hotchner didn't know what to say, shocked by Reid's resolve.

"Besides," Reid said, "even if you say 'no' then I'll just board the next flight to Atlanta and meet you guys there. You wouldn't be able to do anything then."

The faint wry smile on Reid's lips caused Hotch to raise his eyebrow.

Reid was right, he wasn't the same person from that horrible day—he was found as a fragile, vulnerable kid that was close to shattering from fear and exhaustion but now he's emerged as a confident young man who refuses to back down.

Within that moment, Hotch was never more proud and he briefly thought that Gideon would've felt the same had he still been part of the team.

Time _does_ have a way of changing things.

Hotchner contemplated what to do, weighing all possibilities: perhaps Reid was right about Tobias but the Reaper was there too. His destructive presence increased the likelihood of danger.

But then again, Foyet was after _him_, not Reid. And this _could_ be the only chance he had again.

After conflicting with himself, he eventually sighed in defeat. "I suppose I _wouldn't _be able to do anything. Fine Reid, I guess I have no other choice then to let you come along."

As Reid beamed with joy, Hotchner interjected, "But if I see that this case is getting to you then I _will_ remove you, whether we need you or not. I expect you to keep a level head and to not do anything rash, _especially_ try and go off by yourself. And you are not to be alone at any time. I'll make sure that someone is always with you."

Though Reid seemed annoyed at the prospect at having a babysitter, he nevertheless nodded his consent. "Of course, I understand. You can count on me."

Hotch assessed for a moment before inclining his head. "Good. Now let's catch up to the others—I'll be the one to tell them that you're coming along though I'm sure they'll disapprove, especially Morgan."

Reid lightly winced but nodded. "I know." Though he didn't say anymore, Hotchner could hear the unspoken 'but I don't care' within it. And looking at the determined glint in Reid's eyes, he knew that he wasn't going to back down.

This was Reid's case as well as his.

* * *

Meanwhile Charles Hankel regained consciousness. He groggily opened his heavy eyes and became suddenly aware of the sharp pain in his skull and the dull ache of his body.

He groaned as he instinctively held his head and gazed around the area, scowling. "What the hell…?" The place was dank, earthy, and dark, holding an unwelcoming atmosphere full of dread and despair. Something about this place was familiar yet he couldn't quite remember.

Charles realized that he was lying on a wooden floor, surrounded by dirty shovels and gravestones. He carefully pushed himself up, mindful of the pounding in his head, and gradually sat up. A closer look around showed that he was in a small, rustic cabin or shack of some sort and it only had two rooms: the one that he was currently in that held several items that apparently belonged to a gravedigger and a lone wooden chair that had a leather strap that bound it to a pair of handcuffs…

Eyes widening with surprise, Charles instantly stood up and frowned at the chair, clearly recognizing it and who last sat in it.

_What are you staring at, boy?_

_…You're not Raphael._

_Do I look like Raphael?_

Charles gritted his teeth and looked further into the other room and seeing a couple of old, dusty computers that evidently haven't been used for years.

_No…NO! (Knocks over chair in anger) They're trying to silence my message!_

_I can't control what they do I'm not with them I'm with you._

_Really? (He shows him the scathing evidence of an older demon clearly addressing him, telling him to fight back; the Satan boy could only watch in horror, having nothing to say in his guilt) Do you think you can defy me?_

_I don't know what he's talking about._

_You're a liar! _

_(He received a small whimper and terrified eyes in response and then something caught his eye. The kid noticed and his startled orbs quickly glanced down yet darted back up, fearfully, guiltily. Almost instantly he stalked over to the demon and forcibly rolled up his sleeve; he found familiar tiny needle-shaped marks near his veins)_

_You're pitiful! (He angrily dropped the arm as the kid squeezed his eyes shut in dread) Just like my son! (He had to teach him a lesson so he turned on the camera and turned back to him) This ends now!_

He was at the cabin.

"Reminiscing about the good ol' days?"

Charles immediately turned to the familiar, bemused voice across the room and spotted George Foyet looming in a dark corner, the shadows shrouding him and outlining his gleaming smile.

"Foyet?! What the hell's going on here?!"

The man chuckled with ease, seeming almost satisfied. "Oh relax Mr. Hankel everything's fine. If anything you should be thanking me—do you even realize what it means that you're here right now?"

Charles narrowed his eyes but then briefly mollified. "I'm not at that god-damned institution."

Foyet nodded, his smirk broadening. "Precisely. Do you remember how you got here?"

"No. Did you bring me here?"

"Yes; you can I say I broke you out of that hellhole."

Understanding sunk within him and Charles gradually relaxed as a gratified glint briefly sparked in his dark eyes. "You did? How?"

"Well it wasn't easy but not impossible. I just ambushed the cop car taking you and your son back to the institution from the hospital. It was a little messy but it's a done deal seeing that _we're_ not dead. Anyways, then it was just a simple transferring the two of you here. It'll be a while before anyone notices your disappearance and a bit longer for them to think of looking here."

Charles nodded but then frowned. "I don't remember any of that—must've been unconscious. Those damned doctors kept giving me medication anyways. It's not like I needed it, I'm not weak. He paused then said, "Speaking of which, where is my worthless son?"

"Oh he's around," Foyet dismissively responded with a wave of his hand. "He was a bit squeamish when I attacked the officers guarding you guys so he passed out."

"Pathetic weakling," Charles muttered with repugnance.

"Yeah, I get it. Some people just can't stomach these things." He briefly shrugged before continuing, "Now Mr. Hankel I brought you here for a reason other than taking a stroll down memory lane and releasing you from that prison; I was hoping to put you back into business."

Charles blinked once. "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Hankel, I gotta ask you: when you look around this room, what's your first thought?"

Charles glanced around the room, zooming in on the wooden chair, and clenched his fists. "I think of that FBI devil. I had him here, you know—I tried to force him to confess his sins and after a while, he broke and finally did. I only regret that he got away without paying for his crimes against God."

Foyet's smile grew more malicious and he inclined his head in understanding. "You see Mr. Hankel, _that's_ what I mean—you're right, it _is_ a shame that the kid had escaped but I think it's an atrocity that _you_ had to pay the price for it. Why did _you_ have to suffer at the institution while the kid gets off stock-free? Now that's just wrong. Wouldn't you want revenge against him? Wouldn't you want to find him and send him to Hell in the most…_unpleasant_ way possible?"

Charles glared and growled, "Damn straight I would. If I ever find that little bastard again, I'd do worse than just beat him—I'd _impale_ him before breaking all his bones one by one and snapping his neck. Then he'll learn to never cross me."

Foyet's eyes gleamed with approval and thrill. "Yeah, now that's the way to go! And I'd like to help you with that—not only with that Spencer Reid kid but with all the other sinners in this world. I want to follow your example and crucify all the goddamned miscreants that dare roam this planet.

"Mr. Hankel, when I first saw your videos, I immediately recognized that you, Tobias, and Raphael made a pretty damn good team. Though Raphael did the actual killing, _you're_ the one who reminded everyone of God's word. Out of the three of you, I was most impressed with you even though Raphael was a close second. Now I need to know: if you had the chance, would you do it all again…the murders, the videos…_everything_?"

Charles didn't even have to think about it. "Yes, I would take great pride in serving under God by doing Him that favor."

"Good, that's just the answer I wanted to hear. So now that you're free, I'd like to give you that opportunity. How would you like to purge the earth of the useless, sinning scum again?"

A very small smirk pinched the corner of Charles's mouth. "I'd like that. What do you have in mind?"

Foyet smirked and responded, "Well that depends: do you think Raphael will mind if I take his place?"

* * *

**You know what Foyet...NO! Just no! XP**

**So the team is heading for Atlanta. Any thoughts on how this will all go down? I'd love to hear them :)**

**Well now that I'm free for the summer (I'm a high school graduate!), I now have more time for writing! Excitement! X3**

**Thank you all, as usual, for reading and for the wonderful response! Keep it up and I just might give you all spoilers ;)**

**P.S Four more reviews and I'll reach my lucky number (~^o^)~**


	10. Returning to Old Grounds

**And to your left you'll find another chapter XD**

**Liliane: ¡Hola chica! ¿Cómo estás? Heh, the only reason I update so quickly is because I have most of this story written up already. I have several chapters ahead of this so I can update when I want. But I have to control myself because I'm not done with the story and I wouldn't want you or anyone else to wait if I get ahead of myself.**

**Aw thank you! Tobias's personalities are really complex so I often have trouble writing out their dialogue and actions. Glad to see though that I'm doing decently.**

**Thank you! You're 14? Really? Huh...oh and I don't mind! I'm going to a community college to complete my basic education before I transfer to a 4 year university. **

**Haha, well I don't judge! I'm a complete a spazz (the good type, mind you) ;)**

**Warnings: language, violence, blood, brief spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations", season 4 "Omnivore", and season 5 "Nameless Faceless", more nimrod moments of the institution :P**

**P.S You're welcome songwriterforlife99 and any reader hoping for the surprise at the bottom author's note ;)**

* * *

No one approved when Hotch declared that Reid was coming. The young man calmly watched as each of his teammates had loudly protested Hotchner's decision. They exploded that there was no way in hell that Reid was coming along because it was too dangerous, too close, too this, too that…

Blah, blah, blah.

Reid didn't exactly assume that they would just allow him to accompany them with open arms—they realized and understood the risks and were obviously not okay with it.

Like how they weren't okay with his friendly association with Tobias.

But Reid didn't even try to argue as the team, especially Morgan, strongly expressed their disapproval. He more or less patiently waited as his best friend ranted about how there was no fucking way that Reid was working this case because of how dangerous Tobias was and how he was going to target Reid with Foyet's help.

Yeah, he didn't bother hiding his boiled-over disdain for Tobias; Morgan even tried to use the influence he has as the temporary new unit chief to make Reid stay behind.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

It took a long time for Hotchner to attempt to convince him and the others that having Reid would be helpful in catching Foyet and even longer before he firmly stated that he was coming no matter what they said.

In the end, no one was happy about this.

When they had boarded the jet, the team briefly discussed the case and what they were possibly up against: they went over Foyet and Tobias's respective profiles and reviewed the damage that Foyet has so far caused.

It sickened Reid that the team kept analyzing Tobias like he was an Unsub rather than a victim. Tobias was basically _kidnapped_! Who knows what Foyet wants with him or what he's doing to him now! For all Reid knew, Tobias could already be lying in a dumpster, dead with multiple stab wounds to the chest. Or maybe he was currently feeling the wrath of Foyet's vindictive switchblade…

No, he couldn't afford to think like that. He must think like a profiler; he must assume that Tobias is still alive somewhere and that Foyet was _keeping_ him alive for a reason.

But it still tore at Reid's heart when he thought about how terrified Tobias most likely was.

Instead, he focused on the facts they had. He had been horrified when he discovered that Foyet had visited Tobias at least once—thinking of all the manipulations Foyet could've said to him made Reid sick.

Furthermore, he mulled over Foyet's behavior and was perplexed; his actions didn't make any sense. Ever since Foyet's attack on Hotch, they haven't heard from him and they assumed that this entire time he's been stalking and watching Hotchner while trying to locate Hayley and Jack.

So why start killing again?

The answer seemed obvious: Tobias. But this led to another question: how did he find out about Tobias in the first place?

That was a question that none of them had an answer for. Numerous possibilities were conjured but nothing was for certain. Reid was interrogated by the team regarding his letters to Tobias, everyone believing that _that_ was the cause.

Reid highly doubted that Foyet learned of Tobias because of his letters—there weren't any logical explanations to support that theory no matter which angle they looked at.

They also attempted to guess as to why Foyet would break out Tobias. What was he planning? Countless speculations were traded; for instance, that perhaps Foyet was mocking the team. Or maybe he wanted the team to be distracted while he did something else, something worse. Or possibly he wanted Tobias to start killing again to merely cause complications. Or perhaps he wanted to cause some psychological strife and will be watching them with malicious satisfaction. Or maybe he wanted a reason for them to come out to Georgia so that he can ambush them.

Whatever the reason, there was a 50-50 chance that Tobias wasn't even directly related but was more of a pawn in his plan. For all they knew, Foyet could've just let Tobias go to cause trouble and then went on his merry way back to Boston or Quantico.

Reid desperately hoped that _that_ was the case. He didn't want Tobias to be in any way involved with Foyet. He didn't want to see his friend get hurt.

Eventually all the team could do was just keep their hypotheses in mind and wait until they get a clearer picture of the situation to figure out the Reaper's plans. Soon the team reluctantly settled into silence and waited for the jet to land.

The stillness was awkward. No one really knew what to say or do so everyone was left sitting down staring around tensely. The briefing had been slightly strained due to personal feelings about Tobias but now it was magnified by the quietness. Suspecting that this would happen, Reid had sighed, pulled out a book, and began to read.

But he could still feel the uncomfortable tension radiating throughout the jet as he attempted to lose himself in the literary world.

* * *

It was a relief when the jet landed. The BAU gathered their things and headed for the local Atlanta police station. Once they arrived, they were greeted by a man in his forties with wispy brown hair. "Hello I'm police Chief Edward Sullivan. You must be the FBI."

Hotchner nodded to him. "We spoke on the phone."

Soon introductions were passed around and the chief said, "Well so far my men and I have some information on Hankel and Foyet but we'll let you do your thing. I should tell you though that we just recently found Harold Carson's body."

There was a collective widening of eyes from the entire group. "When and where?" Morgan asked with authority.

"Just this morning. He was located in a ditch just outside of town. People drive past it all the time but it wasn't until now that a man's car happened to get a flat nearby. Otherwise it would've been longer before we found him."

Rossi inclined his head. "Is he at the ME now?"

"Yeah, he as well as Rita Dallas and Hankel's escort officers should all be there by now. Carson has no immediate relatives but we've managed to contact Miss Dallas's family. Her mother and father are in the station now."

"I'll talk with them," JJ offered.

"Alright," Morgan conceded and then wasted no time assigning tasks. "Meanwhile Prentiss, you and Reid head out to the ME and check out the bodies. Rossi, check out where Foyet and Hankel escaped. And Hotch, you and I will head over to the institution and see if the guards have anything for us."

"Actually," Reid cut in, "I think it would be better if I tagged along to the institution. The guards there know me by now and there's one other inmate that I want to talk to that can help us."

Morgan immediately frowned. "Hotch and I will get the answers we want without your help. Just tell us the name of the inmate you're thinking of and we'll talk to them. Besides, you're better off checking out Foyet's latest victim with Prentiss rather than running around the institution"

Offended by his venomous tone, Reid was about to argue until Rossi unexpectedly intervened: "To tell the truth Morgan, I think Reid's right, it _would_ be better if he went. Prentiss can check out the bodies herself while you and Hotch get some help from Reid."

Morgan was highly displeased as he snapped, "Damn it Rossi he can't-"

"Can't what?" Rossi asked with a calm tone yet had an edgy glint in his eyes. "If Reid knows someone who can help then let him ask. You know how some people feel about talking with the FBI so I think it would be easier getting information from someone who's comfortable with Reid. Any objections?" Reid caught Rossi's eye and lightly smiled out of gratitude. The older man received it with a silent, acknowledging nod.

Morgan clenched his jaw but remained silent. His point made, Rossi nodded and said, "Alright then, let's go."

No one needed to be told twice: Rossi started heading for one of the vans with Prentiss hurrying after him, Chief Sullivan led JJ into the police station, and a clearly upset Morgan strode to another van without waiting for Reid or Hotch.

Reid looked after him and sighed but before he could accompany him, Hotchner said, "Reid, if you're coming along to the institution-"

"I know," he steadily cut in. "I'll remain focused and I won't let my emotions get the best of me. Let's go." Then he followed Morgan who had impatiently started up the van. Hotchner merely accepted his answer and went into the van, taking shotgun.

* * *

The institution seemed to have a lot more guards then the last time he was there. Reid looked in amazement at the numerous officers patrolling the grounds with Tasers, guns, and clubs on their belts. Their van was inspected before they were able to park.

When they got out, they headed into the foreboding building and were greeted by the Director, Vernon Hamilton.

"Hello, you must be those FBI agents from Virginia. Nice to meet you." The man firmly shook hands with each of them. "I'm glad you're here. Word of Hankel's escape has shaken us all."

"Same here," Hotchner replied gravely. "That's why we're here today—to figure out exactly what happened."

Hamilton nodded and then turned to Reid. "Ah Dr. Reid, it's nice to see you again. How are things…aside from all of this?"

Ignoring the incredulous, disapproving glances from Morgan and Hotch, Reid politely answered, "Fine, thank you." Then he quickly cleared his throat and got to business. "Mr. Hamilton, we were told that Tobias had been attacked by Earl Rogers. Is Earl still here?"

The Director nodded. "Yeah, he's still in solitary confinement and hasn't been out since. I take it you'd like to speak with him?"

"Yes, him and Benjamin Richardson…and any guards who may have spoken to Foyet as he impersonated Dr. Carson. Also, if you can send our technical analyst some recent camera footage of the institution then that would be helpful."

"Of course. I'll send some men to get that for you and to get you folks set up for Rogers and Richardson." He nodded to a couple of nearby guards who immediately went off to accomplish their tasks. "My man, Gutierrez, was the last one to speak with Foyet and it was on the day _before_ Earl's attack."

Hotchner inclined his head. "Alright, we'll speak to him. Is he here today?"

"Yeah, he should be on duty right now. C'mon, I'll take you to him." Then he began to lead them down the hallways.

"If it's okay with you," Reid spoke up, "I'd like to speak with Benjamin alone without any of the guards around." Then he turned to Hotch and Morgan. "Once we're done talking with the guard, you guys can question Earl while I speak with Benjamin. We'll get done a lot faster that way."

Reid didn't miss the way his colleagues exchanged a skeptical glance before Hotch asked, "Who exactly _is_ Benjamin, Reid?"

"He's a friend of Tobias's."

"…Is he hostile?"

Reid was taken aback but managed to say, "No, he's not. I'll be fine when I talk to him."

"And how would you know that?" Morgan demanded with a scowl.

Reid bit back an exasperated sigh. "Because we've met before and he was pleasant."

He ignored the reproachful look he was given and turned to Director Hamilton. "After we're done talking with Gutierrez, could you please escort me to Benjamin? I'm going to ask him a few questions and see if he knows anything useful. We were told that Foyet visited Tobias once so maybe Ben knows about it and might give us some insight."

Hamilton nodded. "That's a good idea. If anyone were to keep tabs on Hankel it'd be Richardson. Yeah I'll take you to him once you talk with Gutierrez."

"Yeah I don't think so," Morgan interrupted before he turned to Reid. "If we're going to interrogate some _friend_ of Tobias's then fine but we're _all_ going to talk to him—you're not doing this alone."

Reid stared at him wide-eyed, appalled. "What? Why not?!"

"Because," Morgan ground out, "I don't trust you by yourself."

Anger immediately shot through Reid's veins as he clenched his fists. He heard the unspoken accusation but refused to comment, his pride torn between arguing and maintaining his composure.

Director Hamilton sensed the tension and grew uncomfortable. Hotchner cleared his throat and stated, "Lead the way." The Director nodded and started to take them through the hallways.

There was tense silence until Hotch addressed Hamilton: "Police Chief Sullivan called me earlier regarding information about Hankel. He told me that you informed the police that you believed that Foyet has visited Hankel under the façade of a psychiatrist, correct?"

Seeming grateful for the question the Director nodded and responded, "Yeah, he has. We didn't know at first because Foyet had some legitimate credentials on him. When he showed us his, uh _Dr. Carson's_ documents, we figured he was authentic. Damn he had us fooled."

"We were also told that Foyet had supplied a switchblade to Earl Rogers. Can you confirm that as a fact or an assumption?"

"A fact," Hamilton declared without hesitation. "Foyet as Carson had asked to speak with Rogers and we were cool with it; we have psychiatrists come here all the time to examine the inmates so it didn't seem weird. Besides, Foyet had been in touch with us regarding Hankel. He _did_ come by once and to our knowledge, he's been sending letters too."

All three of the profilers looked alarmed. "No one said anything about letters," Hotch remarked.

Hamilton appeared surprised. "Really? I'd think someone would."

"Do you happen to still have these letters, by any chance?" Reid inquired.

The Director thought about it and shook his head. "I hate to say it but no, I don't; we had searched Tobias's room but found nothing. I assume that he must've thrown them away."

At that, Morgan and Hotch were just as puzzled as Reid. "Really?" Morgan inquired. "That's strange. I'd think he'd keep Foyet's letters."

The Director shrugged. "Yeah I would think so too. But I guess Tobias didn't like what he read."

Reid's initial sense of pride shifted to disappointment. It was a shame that they didn't have the letters; the team could've found so much from them…

"Sorry about that," Hamilton apologized with a sheepish expression. "I wish there's something I could do about it."

"It's not your fault," Hotch dismissed. "So what were you saying about Foyet, Earl, and the switchblade?"

"Oh yeah, so anyways we had been fine when Foyet asked to talk to Earl. But the day after was the attack and Earl hasn't talked to anyone since Foyet so he obviously got the knife from him; _that's_ when we realized that Foyet was deceiving us and we called the police. They went to investigate the so-called Dr. Carson and then told us that his place was empty. Then we were showed a picture of the _real_ Dr. Carson and we truly realized that Foyet had been playing us like a fiddle. Afterwards it didn't take long for the police to match Foyet's description with that of the infamous Boston Reaper."

Hotchner inclined his head. "Foyet has impersonated people before. You couldn't have known it was him since his hunting grounds were Boston rather than here. He…"

Reid heard no more as his mind began to race over the new information. He was horrified that Foyet had been in contact with Tobias beforehand. How long had this been going on and why didn't Tobias say anything? Even _if_ he thought that Foyet was a psychiatrist, Tobias was sure to at least casually mention him to Reid.

_Maybe he wanted to but wasn't given the chance._

The young profiler grew panicked at the thought of Tobias writing to him about Foyet, either blissfully unaware of the danger or _completely_ familiar with it. Maybe it had been mentioned in the letter Morgan had thrown away…or maybe Tobias _did_ suspect Foyet and tried to call Reid to tell him…

Oh god, if either one were the case…

Reid felt his stomach cramp in dread. This entire situation could've been prevented at least twice and yet he failed—he failed himself, the team, and more importantly Tobias. If only he had been more careful with his mail; if only he had answered the phone; if only he had done better to make things right then maybe Tobias would be safe.

He couldn't help but feel infuriated with Morgan seeing that he meddled in both affairs yet knew that there was nothing he could do about it now—what's done is done, the letter was gone and the call never got through.

Soon the group reached a set of heavy double-doors and when opened, they revealed a large cafeteria where the inmates were currently having lunch.

They didn't acknowledge the profilers and kept on eating or socializing. Director Hamilton looked around the room and spotted a man some feet away overlooking the lunch lines. "Ah there he is. Gutierrez! I need a word!" Director Hamilton waved over the guard who immediately strode over.

"Gutierrez, these are a couple of FBI agents from Quantico; they're here to investigate Hankel's escape. They'd like to ask some questions in regards to Foyet impersonating Dr. Carson—it might help."

The man nodded, shook hands with Hotch and Morgan, and returned Reid's wave. "Yeah I'll be glad to." Then they all stepped out of the cafeteria and into the near-empty hallway for privacy.

Hamilton inclined his head and said, "Well I'm going to make sure that Earl and Benjamin are ready for questioning and then I'll see about getting you folks that footage." He turned to Gutierrez. "When they're done, take them to Room 18 and 20 for the interrogation and then resume your duties."

"Yes sir."

"Before you go," Hotch started, "can you escort me to Tobias's room? I'd like to take a look around."

"Sure thing," the Director said. "Follow me." He then started going down the hallway.

Before he left, Hotch turned to his co-workers, who clearly didn't seem too thrilled with his sudden decision. "You two talk with Gutierrez while I look for anything useful. I'll find you later and then we'll interrogate Earl and Benjamin."

"Um, are you sure that's a good idea?" Reid tentatively asked. Honestly he didn't feel too comfortable with Hotch searching Tobias's room, feeling that it was an invasion of his privacy.

However Hotchner nodded, either not sensing Reid's discomfort or simply ignoring it. "I might find something important, something that the guards didn't notice. I'll be back later but start questioning Earl without me if I take too long."

Morgan nodded. "Alright Hotch." Then with that, Hotchner left them and hurried to catch up with Hamilton.

Instantly the tension between Reid and Morgan increased without having Hotch acting as sort of a barrier. Reid nervously looked to the ground while Morgan folded his arms over his broad chest, appearing mildly irritated.

Thankfully the moment of unease didn't last too long when Gutierrez asked, "Alright, so what do you need to know?"

"Hamilton informed us that you were talking to Foyet the day before Earl attacked Tobias, so we need to know what you were talking about."

Gutierrez nodded at Morgan's statement and briefly considered it. "Well Foyet had come by asking for information on Tobias. One of the high-ranking officers assigned me the task of answering his questions and helping him with whatever he needed."

Morgan nodded and asked, "Do you think that you can tell us everything that occurred?"

Gutierrez shrugged. "Yeah I guess. Where do I start?"

"Start from the beginning: tell us everything that happened that day and leave nothing out—all details are important even if they don't seem so."

Gutierrez nodded again and said, "Alright, so it had been kinda of one of those lazy days, you know when nothing's going on. So I was just watching over the inmates when Hamilton's right-hand man came by and said that he was assigning me to help out a local psychiatrist. He explained that a shrink named Dr. Carson was examining Hankel for research or something so I was more than happy to answer any questions he had.

"So Dr. Carson, err Foyet, was brought to me and I escorted him over to the window where we can oversee the entire cafeteria. It's down that hall. You want me to take you there?"

"Yeah man that would be appreciated," Morgan said with a nod. Gutierrez inclined his head and then gestured for them to follow him. Reid hurriedly trailed after him with Morgan close behind.

Soon they reached an enormous hallway holding numerous guards. They were looking through a large window which, sure enough, had a view of the entire cafeteria. Reid instantly had a sense of déjà vu, remembering when he had first went to the institution with Hotch and Morgan for a harmless interview; it had been that day, well over two years ago when Reid gazed through this exact window and learned that Tobias was still alive. That chance glance had induced him to speak with him.

Reid found it remarkable how that one conversation started off a close yet ultimately complicated friendship.

It had seemed so long ago…

"Well I took Foyet here and showed him where the inmates ate." Reid instantly refocused as Gutierrez continued with recounting the events. "We found Tobias eating with a friend of his and they were talking. Foyet asked me a couple of general questions about Tobias like his medication and if he gives us trouble. Then Foyet just wanted to sort of observe Tobias in his 'environment' so we stood there for a while.

"I don't know what Tobias and his friend, Benjamin, were talking about but it seemed that Tobias was going through a rough time and Benjamin was sort of comforting him, I suppose. Foyet made a comment and we kinda talked about them being friends and all."

Reid immediately became alarmed. _Foyet knows about Benjamin too?! _"What _exactly_ did you two talk about?"

Not catching on to his dismay, Gutierrez merely shrugged. "Not much, just that it was good that Tobias and Benjamin were friends in a crappy place like this, that's all…oh and Foyet asked if the two have had any trouble and I told him that they did once. But nothing else."

"Are you sure?" Reid pressed, "Did he ask about Benjamin? Anything at all?"

"Nope, that's it for sure."

"So what else happened?" Morgan asked as he threw a mild frown at Reid.

Gutierrez thought for a moment. "Well Foyet had asked me some more questions like if I knew Tobias personally, which I don't and I told him that. Then he asked me to point out Earl Rogers, an inmate that doesn't get along with Tobias. I showed him who Earl was and he insisted that he talked with him, said something about wanting to assess him. I assumed that it was for some psychology research or something because _no one_ really wants to talk to Earl. But I said yeah.

"But before I took him to Earl, he wanted to go to Tobias's room and look around. He said something about wanting to make observations about his psychological state based on his room."

"Wait, he went into Tobias's room?! What did he do?!" Reid looked at him in horror as Morgan appeared startled.

Gutierrez apathetically shrugged without interest. "I don't know, I gave him privacy."

Reid and Morgan exchanged a glance before the older profiler inquired, "So you just let him into Tobias's room by himself?"

"Yeah…in my defense though, I had no idea he wasn't a psychiatrist."

Reid suppressed the urge to face-palm himself as Morgan released an exasperated sigh. "Well hopefully Hotch can find anything useful. Maybe Foyet left a clue."

When Gutierrez nodded, Morgan asked, "So how long did he take?"

"Not too long—maybe a minute or two."

"Did you pick up on anything unusual?"

Gutierrez pondered the question. "No, not really. I just heard him shuffling around. Figured he was taking some notes."

Morgan inclined his head. "Alright so once Foyet left, you took him to see Earl?"

"Yeah, I took him to one of our private visitor's room and had someone else bring Earl in. I didn't see him again afterwards so I guess he must've left and…that's about it."

He shrugged while Morgan and Reid absorbed what they had been told. Then Morgan looked at him in the eye. "Is there anything else you can remember? Anything that might've stood out to you?"

Gutierrez considered this before shaking his head. "Nope. Foyet just wanted some information about Tobias and a bit about Earl and that's it."

"So you said that it was Foyet who had brought up Earl, correct?" Reid inquired.

"Yeah, he even mentioned that he knew that he and Tobias didn't get along."

Reid turned to Morgan. "So if Foyet already knew about Earl, then it explains why Foyet chose him to attack Tobias—he knew that the two previously disliked each other then it would be easy to convince Earl to do his bidding."

"And therefore giving Foyet the chance to spring Tobias," Morgan finished the thought. "We were right."

Reid looked at Gutierrez and asked, "Do you know if Foyet has talked with someone in the institution before?"

"Um, I'm pretty sure. I heard that he's asked questions before and he's gotten information about Tobias. I think he even visited him once."

"Do you know what _kind_ of information Foyet asked for?"

"I think it's mostly about his condition and what he's like here. When I had talked with Foyet, he kept kind of coming back to Tobias's split personalities and if they've ever caused any trouble."

Reid nodded and glanced back at Morgan. "Foyet's been gathering information about Tobias for reason."

Morgan nodded in return. "He wants to know about his personalities to use to his advantage."

"No it's more than that," Reid's profiler mind was racing as he spoke. "If he wants to know about 'Charles' and 'Raphael', then he wants to know about all of Tobias's sides, so to speak. Foyet wants to be aware of his strengths and weaknesses, like if he's sizing up an opponent."

"Or an ally," Morgan pointed out. His statement caused Reid's stomach to drop into an icy pool of dread as his widened eyes stared at Morgan.

Would Foyet really want Tobias to ally with him?

_No, no impossible._

Reid so desperately wanted to believe that Foyet wanted Tobias as a mere distraction for the team—something that wouldn't have Tobias directly involved with whatever Foyet was planning. Not…this.

_No…he wouldn't._

But seeing the great pains Foyet took to release Tobias, it would seem so.

* * *

When Tobias became consciously aware, he realized that he was sitting in the passenger seat of a car. For a moment, he thought that he had dozed off in the police car taking him back to the institution from the hospital.

That is, until he recognized his father's voice talking to George Foyet sitting in the driver's seat.

They were all sitting in a car parked behind some trees. A few feet away was a lone house, isolated from its neighbors by several kilometers.

_What on earth…?_

"So I got a camera," Foyet said to Charles with a grin. "It may not be as high tech as a laptop but it'll have to do for now."

Tobias was confused as Foyet held up a standard handheld video camera. _What's that for?_

Charles frowned at it. "How the hell is that supposed to spread my message? At least my useless son was able to record it and upload it to the Internet."

_His message?_

"Ah don't worry I can handle that," Foyet assured him. "You may not know this but I'm a bit of a computer whiz myself. How else was able to find your videos in the first place?"

_Videos?_

Charles eyed the camera with mild distaste before reluctantly nodding. "Well alright if you say so. As long as it captures every detail of mine and God's word."

"Oh it should," Foyet responded. "I'll teach you how to work this baby and then we'll get to work."

"Are you absolutely positive that these people are sinners?" Charles asked as he gestured to the house nearby. "It'd be a sin to kill an innocent Christian."

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure; I've been in Atlanta for a while now and I've been watching the locals. _These_ people," he gestured to the house with disdain, "are pathetic heathens. They've broken the 4th commandment."

"Remember to Keep Holy the Sabbath," Charles recited.

"Precisely. These people don't go to church on Sundays. Hell as far as I know, they don't even _go_ to church at all."

"Those ungrateful bastards," Charles growled. "God gave them life and yet they waste it. How _dare_ they not show Him any respect!"

"My thoughts exactly. So what do you say we teach them a lesson?"

"Gladly." Then Foyet handed him the camera as well as a length of rope and the two strode out of the car, heading for the house. Alarmed, Tobias stumbled after them, his heart pounding and his mind racing.

_They're going to kill again! No! They can't!_

Unfortunately the fear within him restrained him from uttering a sound, shouting a warning to the intended victims. Neither man noticed him as they reached the entrance. Foyet widely grinned as he pulled out a gun and then took out a black resin paintball mask and put it on, giving off a chilling, eerie aura.

"Get ready," Foyet stated before he knocked on the door, his voice suddenly becoming a deep, guttural growl. Charles raised an eyebrow but didn't comment as he straightened his shoulders.

Just then the door opened, revealing a woman in her mid to late thirties. She had no time to react before Foyet lunged at her, grabbed her neck, shoved her further into the house, and pressed the gun to her face. Only when she processed that she was looking into lifeless, faded brown eyes did she scream.

However Foyet silenced her with a ruthless backhand across the face. She cried out and stumbled to the ground. Then Foyet loomed over her with his gun in hand, viciously yanked her back up by a fistful of her hair, and threw her against the nearby dining table.

As she screamed in pain and horror, the sound of rushing feet became evident and soon a man raced into the room, appearing frantic. When he took in the intruders, he yelled out, "Laura!" However, Charles wasted no time in striking the man and knocking him to the ground.

The woman began screaming again and crying out to the man, presumably her husband but Foyet brutally kicked her to shut her up. The man attempted to get up but was stopped when Foyet grabbed the woman and held her hostage with the gun to her head. "Ah, ah, ah I wouldn't if I were you, unless you want dear Laura to have a bullet through her brain." He released the safety catch and purred, "Or maybe a few."

The woman choked on a sob while her husband froze in place. "P-please," he stuttered, "take w-whatever you want. J-just take what you want and g-go. There…there doesn't need to be any t-trouble."

As Charles scoffed, Foyet quietly laughed, the chortle muffled by his mask. "You're right, there doesn't need to be any. Now do as we say and my partner and I won't shoot you." The man shakily nodded and held up his hands in surrender.

Suddenly Foyet aimed the gun at the man and shot him in the leg! Laura shrieked as her husband yelled and fell to the ground! Foyet sniggered with sadistic amusement. "Whoops, I guess I'm a liar." He then quickly shoved the sobbing woman over to Charles who wordlessly caught her and began to tie her up.

Foyet approached the man and towered over him, aiming the gun at his stomach and pulling the trigger. The man howled in pain and clutched his stomach as blood seeped past his fingers and onto the floor; his wife shrieked again and began to babble out useless, incoherent pleas.

"Hand me the rope." At Foyet's command, Charles tossed him the rest of the rope as he dragged the woman over to a chair and retied her to it. Soon Foyet grabbed the man and did the same, placing the chairs side-by-side.

The woman looked at them fearfully through teary eyes while her husband appeared dazed from the bullet-wounds.

Foyet grinned and slowly approached them. Throughout this entire violent episode, Tobias could do nothing but watch, petrified, as the horror of such brutality wrapped around him.

He tried screaming at them to stop, but his vocal chords were frozen by a malevolent force he couldn't comprehend. He couldn't move. It was as if he were back with Raphael as the archangel committed those murders.

Except this time, Foyet was there.

Tobias watched in terror as Foyet stood over his victims. "Hey Hankel, get the camera ready—it's time to show the world what's happens to sinners."

The corner of Charles's lips twitched in what could've been a satisfied smile. "Finally." Then he turned to the couple and growled, "It's time to pay for your sins. Satan will happily accept you into his home." Laura squeaked with fear and begged to be let go, to be spared.

His eyes gleaming with pernicious excitement, Foyet pulled out a switchblade that flashed with the same malicious intent. Immediately Charles held up the camera and turned it on, the device beginning to record.

Foyet looked directly into the camera. "Pay close attention. You wouldn't want to miss this."

Tobias couldn't hold back a cry when the knife dove forward, eager for blood.

* * *

**Whew! Longest chapter yet!**

**...And I'm about to make it longer. Here's a quick spoiler for something that occurs later in the story. Enjoy!**

**~Criminal Minds~**

They looked in horror at the wall, unable to comprehend what's there. A bloodied knife was stabbed into the wall, holding onto a note. The paper had blood slowly dripping down it yet the words were clear. Reid instantly recognized the notebook paper as well as his own handwriting.

This was one of his letters to Tobias.

But that wasn't what had the others disturbed—it was the message written in blood below it.

_You're next, kid._

**~Criminal Minds~**

**Make any assumption you want but I'm not saying anything ;)**

**Alright that's it for now. Bye! :D**


	11. The Grim Reaper

**(Spits out random drink) 60 reviews! Wow! I didn't think I could have this many so quickly! I love you guys! :D**

**And I love you all so much that I decided to post this up earlier than I planned! Don't get use to it though ;)**

**Liliane: Hey there! I'm thrilled that I left you speechless, it makes me feel warm inside! But then again, all your comments do :)**

**Psychology is unbelievably interesting! My college offered several different courses and I was like 'which one should I choose first?!' GAH! So many options...**

**Normal is overrated and I'm proud to say that my friends and I are equally weird! We just understand one another's unusual comments and jokes!**

**My respect for you just shot up! I LOVE Gravity Falls! Mabel is super adorably awesome! I wish I had a sister like her (don't tell my sister...)!**

**Warnings: language, violence, blood, spoilers to "Revelations", "...And Back", "Nameless, Faceless", mentions of child abuse**

* * *

Talking with Earl hadn't been much help. When Reid and Morgan interrogated him, he immediately yelled at them. He refused to give them any information and merely cussed them out.

Eventually they got him to indirectly confess that he indeed was given the knife by a man whose description matched Foyet's. However before they left, Earl shouted for them to 'fear the Slender man' and to watch their backs because 'the Grim Reaper' will get them.

The Grim Reaper…how fitting…

"Damn, talking to that guy is like getting blood out of a stone," Morgan remarked as he and Reid walked down the hallway.

Reid nodded in agreement. "Well at least we know for sure that it was Foyet who helped him—not that we really had any doubts but at least we have some confirmation."

"Yeah, Foyet saw his chance with Earl and took it. With Earl's level of instability, it shouldn't have been too hard to convince him to go after Tobias."

"Yeah…" Uneasy silence fell between the two again as Reid trailed off.

"Morgan, Reid." The two turned and saw Hotchner striding over to them. Reid was relieved as Hotch approached them, carrying a small piece of paper.

"Did you just speak with Earl?" Hotch asked.

Morgan nodded. "He didn't have much for us—just confirmed that Foyet gave him the knife. Otherwise, nothing."

Hotch lightly frowned. "What about Gutierrez? Anything useful?"

"Yeah, Gutierrez told us a bit about Foyet. Turns out he wanted to know about the general basics of Tobias, mainly relating to his personalities. It seems that he wanted to really delve into Hankel's life here: he asked about his friends, his enemies, and what trouble his personalities have caused."

Hotchner inclined his head. "It sounds like he wants to know Hankel from all angles."

"Yup, I figure that the amount of attention Foyet's giving to Hankel means that he's more than just a pawn like how we assumed; I think Foyet wants him as an ally."

Reid suppressed a cringe as Hotch mulled over this. "Unfortunately it makes sense and it's probably the worst possible case. With Hankel's other personalities Foyet could cause more damage with whatever he's planning."

"But here's something kind of trippy," Morgan said as he looked at Hotch with concern. "It turns out that Foyet went into Tobias's room. Who knows what he could've done in there."

"I know something that he did." Then Hotch handed them the slip of paper. Morgan took it and he and Reid glanced at it, their eyes widening.

It said:

_You __really__ should've made the deal. Just know that whatever happens next is your fault. Watch your back Aaron because even when you feel safe, I'll be there. I'm always watching._

Then at the bottom of the page was Foyet's signature, the Eye of Providence.

The appalled silence in the air was thick with heavy breathing, unanswered questions, and a touch of fear. Morgan looked at Hotch, his eyes hard. "Where did you find this?"

"It was in a copy of the Bible; it stuck out like a bookmark in a random page."

"The guards didn't find it?" Reid inquired.

Hotchner shook his head. "They assumed that it was just a regular bookmark."

Morgan glared at the note. "So Foyet knew that we were coming here and decided to leave us a message."

"He decided to leave _me_ a message," Hotch corrected. "He wanted me to find this. He wants to taunt me, to let me know that he's planning something big."

"Hotch," Reid looked at him worriedly, "it's clear that he's going to go after you. What'll you do?"

Hotchner's expression immediately became fierce and dark, almost deadly. "Nothing—I'm just going to proceed like I would with any case. Foyet can't and won't get to me."

Reid was still uneasy. "Are you sure? Foyet is cunning and determined enough to try anything. What if-"

"I know what he's capable of, Reid," Hotch harshly interrupted. "And that's exactly how I'm going to apprehend him. I will find him and bring him down before he can do any more damage. If he tries to ambush me, I'll be ready this time."

Reid internally cringed and wished that he hadn't said anything. He saw a dangerous fire blaze underneath Hotch's dark eyes and knew he meant it.

For a moment there was thick silence until Hotchner slightly relaxed and changed the subject. "Did either of you talk to Benjamin yet?"

Instantly Reid's head shot up, partially grateful for the new direction. "No we haven't, but when we do, I'd like to speak with him alone."

Morgan narrowed his eyes and put away the note. "Why are you so intent on doing this by yourself? We already figured out your most recent secret so there's no use hiding things from us. What's the point if we're not going to like it anyways?"

Reid glared at the accusing tone. "I'm not hiding anything else; I just figured that Ben would be a lot more comfortable talking with me since he already knows me. Besides, this is kind of personal. You of all people should know about boundaries."

Morgan's eyes flashed with anger. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Cool it, both of you." Hotch frowned at them before turning to Reid. "If you're so set on this, then fine you can speak to Benjamin alone. But do know that Morgan and I will be outside the room watching."

More or less satisfied, Reid could only nod while Morgan crossed his arms over his chest. Hotchner then nodded before asking a nearby guard to escort them to Benjamin's room. Soon they walked in tense silence through the hallways until they reached an interrogation room. Looking inside revealed a man with dirty-blonde hair and deep blue eyes, rimmed with dark, weary circles underneath.

_Benjamin…_

Reid's heart string hit an out-of-tune minor note as he stared at Ben. The man appeared so desolate and lost that it was heart-breaking—so different from his usual upbeat cheerfulness. Reid released a lamentable sigh.

Hotchner gazed at him. "Remember what we talked about, Reid. Watch your emotions."

Reid bit back a remark about the irony of his statement and dully replied, "Yeah I know." Then without another word, he opened the door and strolled inside.

Benjamin momentarily snapped out of melancholy state when he heard the door and looked up. His blue eyes widened at the sight of him. "Dr. Reid!" He briefly smiled and automatically attempted to stand up, only to be restrained by the handcuffs connected to the table.

"Hello Benjamin." Reid mustered a small smile and took the chair across from him.

Benjamin's miniscule grin evaporated a tiny portion of his weariness. "Hi Dr. Reid, it's nice to see you again. It's been a while, hasn't it? How long has it been? How have you been doing? What's up?"

Relieved that Benjamin still somewhat has his usual spirited gusto, Reid softened. "It's nice to see you too, Ben. You're right, it has been a while—a month and six days, actually. I've been…better, I suppose. How are you?"

Instantly that little glimmer of happiness from Benjamin vanished and was replaced with misery. "It's been awful, Dr. Reid! Did you hear about what happened to Tobias?" Not waiting for a response, he desperately blurted out, "Earl attacked him! That crazy bastard attacked him! He nearly killed him! It was horrible! Tobias and I were just talking and then he comes up out of nowhere and pulls a knife on him! Tobias got stabbed! There was so much blood! I thought he was going to die! They took him to the hospital but I haven't heard back from him! It's been four days already! I'm worried about him! There was just…so much blood."

His blue eyes moistened with suppressed tears and Reid leaned over and held his shoulder in condolence. "I know, I heard. That's why I'm here. I…have good news and bad news."

He paused before saying, "The good news is that Tobias is alive." Reid internally cringed as Benjamin's distress gave way to joy but he had to douse it with, "but the bad news is that he's missing."

Once again Benjamin's expression switched quicker than the snap of a pair of fingers as his desolation returned. "What?! Missing?! How is that possible?! What happened?! What's going on?!"

He frantically looked to Reid for answers. The young profiler released a dejected sigh; he hated to be the one to have to tell Benjamin about Tobias and Foyet but it had to be done.

"Ben…my team from the FBI and I are here because Tobias has been abducted by a serial killer named George Foyet. He took Tobias when he was being taken back to the institution."

He paused to let that information sink in. "Wh-what?" Benjamin quietly asked. "Wh-why?"

Reid shook his head. "I don't know why yet but I'm trying to figure it out and I think you can help me."

Benjamin assessed him for a moment before becoming serious. "What do you need?"

"I could use some answers; Ben…has Tobias ever told you anything about receiving letters from a psychiatrist?"

Benjamin instantly looked surprised, caught off guard. "Letters? No. I don't think Tobias has ever told me anything about a psychiatrist. But…what does that have to do with anything?"

Reid hesitated before answering, "My team and I were informed that Foyet has been impersonating a psychologist so that he could talk to Tobias. Are you sure that Tobias hasn't said anything about that?"

Benjamin deeply mulled over the thought before shaking his head. "Nope, not a thing."

Reid felt disappointed but decided to work another angle. "Alright, that's okay. Have you noticed anything unusual about Tobias recently?"

Benjamin appeared confused. "Unusual how?"

"Well has Tobias been…different? Has he been depressed? Happier? Anxious even? Has there been a change in his behavior?"

Benjamin thought some more. "Come to think about it…yes. Sometimes he's come to mealtimes looking kind of…I don't know, nervous. Not all the time but sometimes."

Reid nodded. "What do you mean by nervous? Explain exactly how Tobias has been acting?"

"Well every now and then we'll meet up at mealtime and Tobias will seem sort of worried. But once we start talking, he'll get over it. I've always assumed that he was having trouble with his personalities and since that's personal, I've never pried. But then he told me about what had happened between you and your team with the letters and I thought that _that_ was what was bugging him."

Reid instantly stiffened at the reminder and nodded again. "I see. Have you had any trouble with 'Charles' or 'Raphael' recently?"

"No, not really. Ever since Tobias told 'em off, they haven't bothered us much. Once in a while one of them will appear but I'll always leave to give them and Tobias some privacy. The last one I saw was 'Raphael'. It…was on the day Earl attacked him." When Benjamin bit his trembling lower lip, Reid immediately shared his pain.

"Tell me about what happened, Ben."

Benjamin tearfully looked at him but then regained his resolve and nodded. "It had been a normal day. Tobias and I were about to have breakfast when Tobias told me that 'Raphael' was there. I totally understood and I was about to leave until Earl ran into me. He got mad at me and I called him a lunatic. But he didn't care. He started talking to Tobias and 'Raphael' sort of provoked him. The next thing I knew Earl had pulled out a knife and tried to kill Tobias! It was scary! I didn't know what to do! I wanted to help but it just happened so fast and I wasn't sure if I'd be much of help but I was afraid that Earl would hurt Tobias and he did! He stabbed him! He was going to shank him to death but I fought him! I tackled that son of a bitch down and I fought him! B-but the guards took us apart and t-tried to help Tobias but there was so much blood! I-I-"

"Ben, calm down…take some deep breaths," Reid hurriedly said. "It's okay, it's over. Just breathe. It's alright."

Slowly yet surely Benjamin responded to Reid's soothing techniques and eased his frantic breathing, steadily relaxing his previously shaking body. "S-sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for; it's perfectly natural to react that way." Reid shook his head. "Ben, let's back up a bit: when you first saw Tobias that morning, how was he?"

"Um…he seemed a bit…depressed. It could've been because of 'Raphael' though." Then suddenly his eyes lit up. "Wait, he said that he wanted to talk to me about that phone call he made to you! How did that go, anyways?"

Reid instantly shifted uncomfortably. "Not well. I wasn't the one who picked up the phone."

"Oh, bummer." The two sat in pensive silence, worried about Tobias and dismayed about the entire situation.

Reid then cleared his throat and asked, "Is there anything that specific that you can tell me about Tobias? Anything at all? Anything that stood out to you?"

Benjamin mused to himself before shaking his head. "No, not really. His personalities have been showing up a lot more than usual but otherwise, nothing."

Reid furrowed his brow. "Really? That's strange. When they do show up, do they talk to you?"

"On occasion, but it's mostly stuff to call me names and criticize me—you know how they are."

"Unfortunately I do." Then he stood up. "Thanks for talking with me Ben, I appreciate your cooperation."

Benjamin attempted to smile. "Was I any help?"

"Believe it or not, yes. Your observations on Tobias's daily moods are useful—if he was as nervous as you detected, then that could indicate that he was aware that Foyet was a murderer."

"But…but if he knew, then why didn't he say anything to you or me?"

"You and I know Tobias—if he figured that Foyet was a serial killer then he wouldn't want us involved, especially you."

Ben nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah that does sound like him. I wish I would've known about this Foyet guy sooner or else I might've done something and then none of this would've happened." He sadly hung his head and became somber.

Reid immediately shook his head. "Even if you did know, there wouldn't have been much you could've done. Besides, I'd rather _you_ didn't get involved with Foyet either."

Benjamin hesitated before asking, "Dr. Reid…how bad is this George Foyet guy?"

Now it was Reid's turn to hesitate but he eventually answered, "Pretty bad, Ben. But I swear to you that my team and I will do our best to apprehend him and bring Tobias back."

Benjamin nodded and urgently looked him. "Please find him. I…I wouldn't bear it if-if…" He couldn't continue as he fought back tears and shook his head.

Reid attempted to swallow the newly formed lump in his throat. "I know. We'll find him and I won't give up until he's back home, safe."

* * *

Morgan and Hotch watched their exchange with interest. Initially they had their reservations about letting Reid speak with Tobias's friend but they eventually relaxed, recognizing that the man was of no harm.

As they observed their interaction, each experienced a similar sensation. Both were mildly surprised by the comfortable atmosphere between Reid and Benjamin yet simultaneously expected it. Yet neither of them could've ever guessed how connected they were to one another, all because of one man.

Tobias Hankel.

Needless to say, it was astounding—especially since the depth of their concern for Tobias was deep, deeper than they could've ever imagined.

* * *

Meanwhile George Foyet leaned against a tree watching Hankel talking to himself, or rather Tobias talking with 'Charles'.

After they had murdered the Preston couple, Foyet took Laura Preston's silver bracelet and placed that other dead girl's locket around her neck, and then left some _finishing touches_ at the crime scene before he and 'Charles' instantly left the house and drove away. They had just gotten on the road until Hankel started getting upset and expressed his disgust and grief over the murders.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Tobias was also in control.

He had watched as Tobias began to loudly exclaim statements of distressed outrage and he hid a smirk as the other man seemed to be fighting back tears. Eventually though 'Charles' had gotten angry and started yelling at Tobias for being 'weak' and Foyet was forced to stop the car and pull off onto the side of the road.

Currently he watched as Tobias and 'Charles' went back and forth, generally amused.

"Those bastards deserved to die and you know it, boy!" 'Charles' growled until his face contorted into a frantic Tobias.

"No they didn't! They were innocent people! How could you-"

His face then suddenly switched back to enraged. "They were devils! Foyet told me that they had broken the 4th commandment! It's blasphemous that they willingly disrespect God by shunning his day of praise! They deserve a hell of a lot worse than what they got and they'll get it now that they're dead. I'll bet they're suffering in Hell right now!"

Foyet relished at how Tobias threw him a quick, fearful glance before griping, "They shouldn't be! So what if they broke a commandment! They didn't deserve to die! And besides, you don't know if Mr. Foyet was right! He could've been wrong about them or he could've been _lying_! He's not-"

Foyet couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him when Tobias struck himself. "Don't waste my time with accusations, boy! Foyet is not a liar nor is he wrong! Those people were sinners, just like every other goddamned wretch in this world! Now stop blubbering like the pathetic piece of shit you are! If you're coming along, then I expect you to treat Foyet with respect! If you don't, then I'll _teach_ it to ya!"

_Five year old George was sitting cross-legged in his living room, watching 'The Looney Tunes'. His mom was somewhere out in the garden and the house was at peace; for a moment, George was content._

_Then his ears picked up the sound of a car coming into their driveway and a jolt of alarm rattled his thin frame. However he stayed in place like a small animal and listened for the threat. Maybe if he kept quiet, _he_ won't notice him._

_He heard the car's engine stop, a car door slamming, the front door opening and shutting, footsteps walking into the kitchen… _

_"George! Where the hell are you, you piece of shit?!"_

_George flinched and fearfully looked up from the television. "I…I'm over here, dad."_

_"Get your ass in here now!" Unwilling and highly reluctant, George got up and slowly walked into the kitchen. He glanced at his father and saw the drunken fury that had taken hold. Once those blood-shot eyes fixated him, he hurriedly shifted his gaze to the tiled floor._

_"About time you got here! Now tell me what this is!" He angrily pointed to the trashcan and George looked at it._

_"A…a trashcan, sir."_

_The man scoffed. "Do you take me as a dumb ass?! I know what it is! I want to know why the hell it's full!"_

_George couldn't respond in his fear and he began to quiver. Suddenly he cried out as a rough hand knocked him across the face and sent him sprawling._

_His father glared down at him. "Answer me you little bastard! Why is this shit still here?! I thought I told you to take out the trash before I got home! You had fucking hours to do this!"_

_George looked from the trashcan to him, his eyes watering. "I…I'm sorry! I…I forgot!"_

_A fist struck him in the nose and he couldn't help the cry that followed. He heard something crack and he was aware of the warm blood oozing down his nose. _

_"You dumb son of a bitch! I always get half-ass excuses from you! Can't you so anything right or are you that fucking stupid!" He hit George again. The boy cowered and attempted to scurry away only for his father to roughly grab his arm and yank him back, hard enough so that he was sent crashing into the wall. George howled in pain as his small body exploded with agony. _

_Tears roamed freely down his face as George was grabbed again by the front of his shirt. He was jerked up so that he wasn't touching the ground and he was nose-to-nose with his father. The man sneered down at him. "You need to learn some discipline, boy, and I'd be more than happy to teach it to you!" Then he backhanded him and threw him to the ground. George didn't even have time to recover as his father viciously kicked him in the ribs and then again in the face. He began to cry and begged for him to stop but he only resorted to using his fists instead._

_At one point his mother walked into the room and noticed the violence and immediately rushed in, shrieking at her husband to stop. She attempted to shield George with her own body but was only shoved away as a result._

_She couldn't protect him and George was left with a broken nose, a fractured arm, severely broken ribs, a concussion, and bruises that wouldn't go away for weeks._

Foyet blinked at the sudden, unwanted memory and frowned. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and said, "Um excuse me gentlemen, if I may."

Hankel turned to look at him, but judging by the furious scowl on his face, he figured he was looking at 'Charles'—although he was aware that Tobias was still technically there. "Mr. Hankel, I think you should go easy on Tobias. After all, he obviously saw what I did, what _we_ did and didn't like it. But try to understand that it's not his fault—he's been corrupted by that demon Spencer Reid. He's been talking with the kid for too long."

His dark mood lightened with a sense of victory as 'Charles' narrowed his eyes. "Damn right he has! He was weak as it was but ever since that boy came along, he's gotten worse! That fucking little bastard screwed him up!"

Instantly Hankel's face switched to alarmed. "No he hasn't! You leave Spencer out of this!"

Hankel's expression contorted back to anger. "Watch yourself, boy!"

"No!" came the defiant response, followed by another slap.

Foyet wryly grinned and shook his head. "Ah don't worry Mr. Hankel, there is still hope for Tobias; if he didn't try and stop us earlier then he must've approved on some level."

'Charles' scoffed. "I think he didn't stop us because he was just weak. He was never strong enough to handle Raphael's ways and I doubt he's any better."

Foyet nodded in mock sympathy. "Well no matter, he'll have to get used to it eventually. Right, Tobias?"

He sneered when Hankel's expression changed. "What?! No! I'll never like or approve of any evil! Please don't do this! It's wrong!"

"No it's not," Foyet coolly responded as he shook his head. "Your father and I are doing the world a favor, one sinner at a time. It's too bad that you don't share our vision, Tobias, but it's your loss. You'll just have to sit back and watch while we have all the fun."

'Charles' returned and nodded in agreement. "He's right, boy. Now quit your sulking and shut the hell up! I'll enjoy this a lot more if you didn't ruin it with your shit." Suddenly Foyet sensed something different in Tobias's expression and had a feeling that 'Charles' had temporarily gained full control.

He grinned. "That's the spirit Mr. Hankel." Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he mustered their current vehicle. "You know, before we do anything else, we should get a new car. I'd rather not risk getting caught so soon if someone happened to catch us leaving the Prestons' house."

'Charles' nodded. "You're right. But where are we going to get a new car?"

"Easy." Foyet gestured to the road. "We have plenty of opportunities; we just need to be patient." Then his ears picked up the sound of a motor and he noticed a red truck driving their way. "Or maybe we won't have to. Watch and learn."

Foyet stepped onto the road and waved his arms, trying to flag down the car. To his fortune, the truck actually stopped. He put on a false look of dismay as a middle-aged man stepped out of his vehicle. "Excuse me, can you help us? My friend and I were heading to a little get-together and the engine died on us. Think you can give us a boost?"

The man examined the pair before nodding. "Sure thing, man, I can hook you up. I'll get some starter cables—you just pop open the hood." Foyet nodded as he went back to his truck and turned to Hankel, a secret smile on his lips that he easily caught on to.

Soon the man came back with the cables and attached them to the inside of the engine. "That ought to do it. Here I'll start my car up and we'll see if it does the trick."

"Thank you," Foyet drawled with a sadistic grin. "But that won't be necessary." Before the man could process his statement, Foyet quickly pulled out his gun and lashed out at him, striking him across the head. The man cried out in pain and fell to the ground with blood gushing from his temple.

Foyet saw 'Charles's' eyes light up like an electric current and got an idea. Grinning with thrill, he immediately stalked over to the stranger, gun in hand. The man looked up at him with fear, his eyes begging for mercy.

Oh how he _loved_ it.

"Don't worry," he smoothly said. "If you give us the keys to your truck then I won't shoot you." Almost immediately the man began digging through his pockets, struggling to find his keys. When he pulled them out, Foyet gestured to Hankel and his victim tossed them to him.

With the keys in their possession, Foyet lowered his gun. "Thank you for all your help, we appreciate it." A malevolent sense of ecstasy shot through him when the man appeared relief.

Hilarious—he actually thought he was getting out of this alive.

Then he quickly walked over to the engine, removed the starter cables, and zeroed in on his victim. Instantly the man's eyes widened at the electric cables and he whimpered, "No, please don't!"

Foyet smirked and retorted, "What? I said I wouldn't shoot you."

**…**

Even after killing the man, stealing his thick golden ring and placing Laura Preston's bracelet around his wrist, Foyet still heard his howls of pain ringing in his ears as he and Hankel drove off.

Damn, he would never get tired of that.

Nor would he ever get tired of determining the fate between life and death.

* * *

**It's gonna take some getting use to exploring Foyet's mind :/**

**I hope you enjoyed this quick update! Thanks for reading and have a nice day! :D**

**P.S Interesting tidbit about this chapter: the last chapter went through 5 rewrites and this one went through 3. And not just minor fixing but hardcore rewrites as in I erased the entire chapter over and over again. I swear I was just never satisfied with how the conversations were played out and I kept erasing, writing, cutting and pasting, and rewriting both of them. In fact, they were supposed to be one big chapter.**

**Not sure why I put that but why not? :)**


	12. Moving Fast

**Eh, personally I don't think this chapter is very exciting but it is necessary. Enjoy! :)**

**Liliane: Hello! Hehe, nope it's not enough! I have no qualms about making my readers squirm; I just knew that that last chapter would leave some conflicting thoughts ;)**

**Yeah, I felt bad too. I love children and seeing them hurt gets me sad and angry; I was a bit uncomfortable writing about Foyet's past and I actually found it difficult. But I take that as a good sign and I'm glad to see that you're so compassionate.**

**THE MYSTERY TWINS FOREVER! Dipper is the bomb and Mabel is one of the coolest characters in existence! Gravity Falls is hilariously brilliant and I love all the episodes! You're right, siblings should stick together!**

**You know my sis? ...Have you experienced episodes of spazziness yet? XD**

**Warnings: brief language, mentions of blood and violence, some details might be triggering to some, brief references to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

After Reid had said his good-byes to Ben, he and the others left the institution, thanking Director Hamilton and ensuring his promise that he'll set up protection for Benjamin, just in case. Their ride back to the police station was somber and heavy.

Upon their arrival, they discovered that the rest of the team was there. They looked up when the others approached.

"So what did you find?" Prentiss inquired.

"A lot," Morgan responded. "Mainly that Foyet's been planning this for a while; he's been gradually getting information about Tobias, anything he can get his hands on. We think that he wants Hankel as an ally."

Rossi, JJ, and Prentiss looked shocked. "How do you figure that?" JJ asked in alarm.

Morgan pulled out Foyet's note and handed it to her. "Primarily because of this."

She and the others read the note and their eyes widened.

Rossi looked to Hotch. "Where did you find this?"

"In Tobias's room," Hotchner answered. "Foyet was kind enough to leave it."

Unease spread within the group. "Did he leave anything else?" Prentiss asked.

"Not that we know of. So what did you all discover?"

The other three gazed at one another before JJ began, "I spoke with Rita Dallas's parents. They told me that she's currently in college working on her bachelor's degree. They described her as an honest, kind young girl, someone that was nice to anyone and who couldn't ignore someone who needed help."

"Aren't they always that way?" Morgan commented with a frown.

"Unfortunately," JJ somberly remarked. "From how they described her, it seems that Rita would never try anything dangerous so this leads me to believe that Foyet may have ambushed her or led her away with a ruse."

Prentiss nodded. "That's probably the case—it's Foyet's M.O. He could've easily lured her into a secluded area under the pretense that he needed help. And if Rita is as pleasant as she sounds then it wouldn't take much for her to believe him."

JJ inclined her head. "That's what I was thinking."

Hotch nodded once before turning to Prentiss. "So what did you learn?"

Everyone's attention was on Prentiss as she spoke, "Well Dr. Carson was killed by blood loss, courtesy of 17 stab wounds, and has been reported dead for a couple of weeks. On the other hand, Rita Dallas was murdered with 73 stab wounds and has been dead for over 36 hours. And," she paused, biting her lower lip, "she had the Eye of Providence carved into her stomach."

The team looked horrified. Though they weren't too surprised that Foyet was more brutal with Rita, it was still appalling.

Eventually Prentiss cleared her throat and continued, "As for the officers, one of them suffered massive blood loss by a stab wound in the shoulder as well as a slit throat. The other one was stabbed in the neck and has heavier damage, mainly because of the car accident—he was the driver."

"By any chance, did you discover any missing items from any of them?" Hotch inquired. "We have to account if Foyet is returning to every part of his M.O."

"There was nothing missing from the police officers, I confirmed that. But it _was_ brought to my attention that Rita was wearing a silver men's watch that had Carson's blood on it so we know what Foyet took from him."

"What about Rita? Was there anything missing from her?"

Prentiss shook her head. "I don't know. Her attire seemed to be in order."

"Wait, was she wearing a locket?" JJ put in. "Her parents had told me that she always wore a locket and they asked me to give it to them. Did she still have it?"

Prentiss thought about it. "Actually now that you mention it, no I don't recall seeing a locket."

"Well now we know what to look for next time," Morgan bitterly remarked. Then he turned to Rossi. "What about you, Ross, find anything?"

The older man nodded. "Plenty. I checked out the police car that Foyet ambushed and found a wreck. The car was completely demolished into a tree! When I looked inside, I found a lot of blood and broken glass. But more importantly, I found how Foyet made his move.

"I discovered a slim jim lock pick in the backseat along with some tarp. So my guess is that Foyet let himself into the car, hid himself, and then attacked. The officers didn't stand a chance trying to protect themselves while driving—it's no wonder they crashed."

"Did Foyet leave any messages?" Morgan asked.

"Nope, just the slim jim lock pick. Otherwise, he high-tailed it with Tobias."

"So we basically have few clues to work with," Prentiss sullenly commented.

"Not necessarily so," Reid spoke up. "We had the institution pull up some security footage and send it to Garcia. Maybe she'll find something that'll tell us about Foyet."

"Hopefully," Morgan indicated with a shrug of his shoulders. Then suddenly they all slightly jumped at the sound of a phone ringing.

They all turned to Hotch who pulled out his device. "It's Garcia."

Morgan lightly grinned. "Speak of the devil."

Hotchner flipped open his phone and answered, "Hey Garcia, I'm putting you on speaker." Then he pressed a button and held it out so that the entire team could listen.

"Hey there crime fighters," Garcia chirped before becoming serious. "So I checked out the camera footage the institution sent me and you better believe your sweet bottoms that I found Foyet!"

Hotch instantly narrowed his eyes. "How many times was he there?"

"Well he's been there on two separate occasions, both visits within about less than two weeks of each other! His first visit was pretty quick—he only stayed for half an hour before he left. The second though, he stayed for over an hour! I caught him talking with a guard and he watched the inmates for a while." Then she made a small noise that sounded as if she shuddered.

Hotchner turned to the team. "So I guess we can assume that his first visit was to Tobias and the other was for Earl."

The team nodded in agreement before Garcia hurriedly continued, "But get this: being the amazing tech wizard that I am, I had scanned the entire perimeter of the institution and you'll never guess what I found! I repeatedly saw a lone black sedan parked a few feet outside of the building! That car was there 7 different times just sitting there for hours on end! When I checked the license plate, I found out that it belonged to poor Harold Carson! So apparently Foyet decided to just sit there and _watch _the institution! Talk about creepy!"

Everyone let that information sink in, clearly disturbed. Then Rossi spoke up and asked, "Garcia, when was the last time Foyet was parked outside the institution?"

"Hang on a sec." They heard the repeated clicks of the computer keyboard before she responded, "Well according to this footage…oh my gosh…it was on the same day that Tobias was attacked and taken to the hospital. Yeah…I see the ambulance leaving the institution and Foyet drove after them! He followed them! Eww, creeper!"

"Yeah no kidding," Morgan remarked with a frown. "So Foyet's been keeping track of Tobias in more ways than one; he knew where Tobias was being treated but it doesn't explain how he knew when Hankel was going to be released."

"Is it possible that he hacked into the institution or hospital's computer records?" Prentiss asked with a frown.

"If he's a semi-decent expert with technology then yes," Garcia responded. "I have no doubt that the hospital's records are safe but we can't account for the institution—their online security system could be outdated. And even with the hospital's firewalls, it's easy to hack their system if you know what you're doing."

"Sounds like Foyet," Hotch affirmed with a frown. "Garcia, do you think you can back-hack him and see where his Internet connection is?"

"Damn straight I can! I'll pinpoint that creep down! I'll talk to you guys later. Hasta la pasta!" Then with that, she hung up.

As Hotchner put away his phone, Morgan turned to the group. "In the meantime, why don't we go over what we have so far. Reid," he looked to the young man, "do you think you can make us a map of Foyet's murder sites?"

Reid nodded. "Of course." He immediately strode over to the whiteboard nearby.

Then Morgan glanced at JJ. "Why don't you hold a press conference and warn the public that two dangerous serial killers are on the loose."

"Got it." The blonde woman hurriedly went off and passed the police chief.

Hotch addressed him: "Chief I forgot to ask: have you had Hankel's old house and shack guarded? For all we know Tobias might try and hide out at one of those places."

Chief Sullivan hastily nodded, appearing distressed. "Yeah I sent some officers to secure both areas hours ago but I'm afraid I have some bad news; Foyet has committed another murder!"

Thick, heavy dread hung in the air before Hotchner demanded, "What happened?"

"I got a call just now telling me that local residents Michael and Laura Preston were found murdered in their home! They were discovered minutes ago by the mailman who found their door wide open!"

"Can you confirm that Foyet perpetrated the crime?"

"Yes, it had his work written all over it!"

"What about Hankel?"

Sullivan thought for a moment. "We can't tell—you'll have to see and decide for yourself."

Morgan inclined his head and stated, "We're on it." He looked to Hotchner and Prentiss. "The three of us will check out the site and Rossi," he turned to the older man, "stay here and go over the case, see if you can figure out anything new. Also keep an eye out, just in case."

Rossi nodded without a word, knowing very well that Morgan meant more than just to be on the lookout for Foyet; he wanted him to keep an eye on Reid too.

He glanced over at the young man now who was absorbed making marks onto a map. "I'll do my best."

"See that you do." Then he left the station with Hotchner, Prentiss, and Chief Sullivan.

Rossi watched them for a moment before sighing. Foyet was moving fast: murdering 6 people in such short time was alarming.

But why was he doing this? Why now?

Recalling the note found in the institution, Rossi could only recognize the sadistic thrill in Foyet's game.

The Reaper wanted to see and enjoy the trail of suffering he was causing.

* * *

Hotchner, Morgan, and Prentiss arrived at the Preston home within minutes. Chief Sullivan escorted them to the crime scene and led them through the mob of police officers, paramedics, CSI agents, and other authoritative figures necessary to assess the area. Yellow police tape was wrapped around the house, preventing nosy reporters and onlookers from getting through.

The chief went under the tape, the profilers doing the same, and entered the house. Each put on a pair of latex gloves and surveyed the scene before them: glass was broken, furniture was carelessly knocked over, and there was blood. The agents looked in horror at the blood pool seeping across the floor, mainly dripping off of two lone chairs placed within the center of the living room, rope hanging from the arms like a noose.

And if that wasn't gruesome enough, Foyet left a disturbing message on the wall behind the chairs. Painted in blood was the Eye of Providence, its foreboding presence overlooking the scene with alertness.

No one could anything but stare until Chief Sullivan released a low whistle. "Damn…he sure did a number on those folks."

Hotchner somberly nodded. "It would seem so." He noticed a CSI agent nearby and asked, "Excuse me, were you able to identify the blood on the wall?"

The man inclined his head. "Yeah it all belongs to Laura Preston—none of it from Michael Preston."

The former unit chief set his jaw. "How long have they both been dead?"

"We assume about an hour or so."

"We just missed him," Hotch bitterly remarked as he clenched his fists.

"Not 'just'," Morgan pointed out. "He's only got an hour on us." He turned to Chief Sullivan. "Think you can make it so that there are some more officers patrolling the city?"

The policeman nodded. "I'm on it. I'll even have the city border extra secured so that bastard won't leave Atlanta."

Once Sullivan left, Prentiss furrowed her brow and commented, "Well it's obvious that Foyet's been here but how can we tell if Tobias was too? I mean for all we know, this could also be Hankel's work."

Morgan considered the thought and replied, "Yeah, you're probably right. But for now we can only confirm Foyet's hand in the murder. I guess it's a 50-50 chance that Hankel had any part of this."

"Right." Then Prentiss looked at the entrance. "So let's just assume that it was only Foyet for this: if there are no signs of forced entry then how would Foyet be able to get in?"

She, Morgan, and Hotch walked over to the open door and examined it. "The hinges aren't broken so someone must've opened the door on their own," Prentiss observed.

"Perhaps one of the Prestons let him in," Morgan suggested. "Foyet could've been under the guise of a retailer or someone else trustworthy."

"Or he could've just forced his way in," Hotchner said through gritted teeth. "All he had to do was knock and once one of the Prestons answered, then he could've ambushed them. Neither of them would've had a chance against a sneak attack."

The other two nodded somberly as they all gazed at the chaotic, bloody scene around them.

Their musings were interrupted by a CSI agent. "Uh, excuse me but you all are with the FBI, right?"

"Yeah, we're the Behavioral Analysis Unit," Morgan replied with authority. "Do you have something for us?"

"In fact, I do." He pulled out a stained plastic bag. "We thought you might wanna see this. We found it crumpled up in Laura Preston's hand."

The profilers stared at the rumpled piece of paper placed within the bag until Hotchner asked, "By any chance, did you happen to see a locket on either Preston."

"Actually…yes—Laura Preston was wearing a golden locket when she was found."

The small group looked to one another. "Well at least the Dallas's can have their daughter's trinket back," Prentiss dryly remarked.

"I guess so," Morgan said dismally. "I wonder what Foyet took from the Prestons though."

"It doesn't matter now." Hotch then turned to the CSI agent and accepted the bag. "Thank you for showing us this—we'll handle it." The man nodded before going off to perform more of his duties.

The profilers looked to the bag as Hotchner carefully opened it and pulled out the paper. Smoothing it out, each pair of dark brown eyes read the unsettling message, handwritten by the Reaper.

_This is only the beginning. Keep an eye out for more._

And of course the Eye of Providence was crudely drawn below the sentences, as if mocking them with its all-seeing knowledge.

Foyet was moving fast.

* * *

"And just who are you?" Foyet looked at his passenger and was mildly startled by the calm, toneless voice.

This wasn't 'Charles' or Tobias—which meant that this was 'Raphael'.

Foyet grinned and replied, "Hello you must be 'Raphael'. I'm George Foyet."

The archangel raised an eyebrow. "You're George Foyet? Charles has told me a lot about you."

Foyet nodded. "I'm sure he has. I must say that it's an honor to be officially meeting you."

'Raphael' brushed off the compliment and asked, "Where is he now?"

"Not here—he'll catch up with us later. In the meantime though, we need to talk; it's about killing sinners again."

Foyet knew that his ploy of using the direct approach worked when 'Raphael' appeared mildly intrigued. "Again? Are you suggesting that I return to my methods?"

"Indeed I am. As you can tell you're not at the institution anymore so nothing should hold you back."

'Raphael' took that moment to glance around and fully realize that he was in a truck, free.

Foyet smirked and continued, "I think it's high time that you get out of retirement and get back in the game. This world has too many sinners and they ought to be eradicated. 'Charles' and I were talking and he agrees with me—we even got started for you."

'Raphael' blinked yet his blank expression never wavered. "How so?"

Foyet indicated to the video camera lying on the floorboards. "Check it out for yourself."

The archangel looked at him before picking up the device and turning it on. Foyet kept his eyes on the road but still heard his work in progress. He smirked wider as he listened to the screams of the Prestons as well as the sweet sound of knife slicing through flesh.

From the corner of his eye, Foyet took note of the glimmer of interest within 'Raphael' as he watched the video, seeming almost impressed.

Once it finished, 'Raphael' turned to Foyet. "What are these people's sins?"

"They broke the 4th commandment."

"How would you know that?"

"I've been around the neighborhood and I've noticed a few things. I can now tell you who is and isn't a sinner in these parts."

The archangel accepted the answer with a nod. "I take it 'Charles' filmed?"

"Yeah, as you can tell though he didn't do any of the killing—it was all me. Personally I was trying to follow your example except with a few twists."

"I can see that. Why so many stabs though?"

Foyet's eyes glinted with perverse pleasure. "Because those bastards deserved it—if I'm gonna send a sinner to Hell, then I wanna make sure that they go in the worst way possible. Why should they receive mercy?"

'Raphael' contemplated his words before nodding. "I suppose you're right."

"So how about it, Raphael…do you wanna serve under God again?"

The archangel furrowed his brow. "I've been serving under Him my entire existence—I will resume my duties as before."

Foyet eerily grinned. "I'm glad to hear that and I'd like to help you if you let me. I'll admit I had fun with those sinners."

'Raphael' mustered him with a disquieted expression before replying, "I'm not sure. God chose me and the Hankels to relay his messages so I'm uncertain how He'd feel about you."

"Ah you can trust me. Think of it this way: if God disapproved, then I wouldn't be sitting here talking with you since you'd be back at the institution. He wanted us to meet—our destinies are intertwined and ya know why?"

When 'Raphael' merely stared at him, Foyet continued, "Because we are kindred spirits brought together by our similar duties to the Lord. He wants us to rid the world of sinners; He wants us to teach everyone about following under Him; but most importantly, He wants us to band together against our enemies. God thinks it's high time for sinners like Spencer Reid and the rest of the BAU team to pay for their unholy acts and I think we should honor that wish. What do you say?"

Foyet had to suppress the satisfied glow in his smirk as he recognized the signs of yielding consent in the archangel's eyes. It was a moment before 'Raphael' said, "Very well but if you're going to join me then I suggest we find something more suitable to send out God's message." He looked to the video camera with mild disgust. "This device is pathetic. How do you expect it to load onto the Internet?"

Foyet grinned. "I've got it covered; I know how to work a computer just as well as Tobias can so it'll be a cinch. But obviously we need a computer so we'll have to…_find_ one." Foyet couldn't risk using his old laptop, knowing well that the BAU could easily track it down. So he had left it at the motel with some…personal touches, something for those arrogant agents to find.

Oh they're gonna _love_ what they see.

His eyes glimmered with excitement. The sun was beginning to set for the day so he knew that they had to move fast.

'Raphael' caught onto his gist and nodded. "Leave that to me."

"I knew I could count on you."

* * *

**So 'Raphael' approves...does anyone else smell disaster? It ****_reeks_**** of it.**

**Well I hope you're all prepared for what happens next! You might want to bring a helmet next time XD**

**P.S Is everyone alright? Encounters with Garcia, the immortal goddess of technology, tends to be overwhelming. If you're feeling dizzy from sheer, utter fandom, then I suggest you sit down...and watch more Criminal Minds! :D**


	13. Chipping Away Boulders

**Remember how I warned that you should all bring a helmet? Well that's a false alarm, you don't need it for this chapter. The next chapter on the other hand... ;)**

**Liliane: Hello! How are you today? Hope the lingering stench of disaster isn't still around :)**

**Haha, I'm not even sure why I put that. I think I got it from my sis's favorite anime Hetalia. But it does sound like a line courtesy of Garcia the Magnificent. By the way, sorry I made you bring the helmet. You might need the tissues though.**

**You guys went to a party without me?! Meanies... :P**

**Warnings: violence, mentions of blood, angst (coughs nervously), spoilers to season 2 "Profiler, Profiled", "The Big Game" and "Revelations", season 3 "Penelope", season 4 "Conflicted", and season 5 "Nameless, Faceless"**

* * *

It was around six in the evening as Rossi, Reid, and JJ looked through Foyet's recent crime scene photos. They had been at this for a while and discovered nothing new yet that didn't discourage them from striving to find something, anything.

Soon the focused silence was shattered by a phone ringing. The profilers lightly flinched at shock and turned to Rossi who pulled out his phone. He answered it with ease: "Yeah Morgan?"

Reid and JJ warily watched as he responded with, "Uh huh…yeah alright…really, already? ...Okay I'm on it. I'll be right there." Then he snapped the phone shut and turned to his colleagues. "Foyet's committed another murder."

Both became alarmed. "So soon?" Reid asked incredulously.

Rossi grimly nodded and almost robotically stated, "A man named Evan Davis was found on the side of a road, murdered. An abandoned car was discovered with him and the license plates showed that the vehicle was reported stolen. Davis was announced to have had a red truck so it's assumed that Foyet stole it."

Reid mentally reviewed the information, realized something was left out, and grew anxious. "What about Tobias? Any word on him?"

Disappointment seeped into his already-weary form when Rossi shook his head. "Not yet, kiddo. We can't tell for sure if Hankel is even _with_ Foyet for the time being. For all we know Tobias could be on the loose somewhere else."

The young profiler chewed his lower lip before reluctantly saying, "Let's hope so." When Reid was told earlier about the Prestons, he was immediately concerned if Tobias was in on it and was slightly relieved to discover that there wasn't enough evidence to prove if he was or wasn't. However that relief swirled with other emotions like strange concoctions in a witch's boiling, bubbling brew, mainly worry amongst it all. Without any indicating clues pointing to a proper answer, Reid was left in the dark over Tobias's whereabouts. Was he on the loose somewhere, safe and sound, or was he matching stride with Foyet as they went on this string of crimes filled with blood and bodies?

In a way, the ambiguity was both comforting and unsettling.

_Tobias, where are you?_

"Prentiss is heading over to the crime scene while Hotch and Morgan are going to the ME to examine Davis's body," Rossi continued, hoping to get Reid back on track. "Morgan wants me to meet up with Prentiss so I'll be back."

"What about us?" JJ inquired, gesturing to herself and Reid.

"He said that the two of you should stay here and continue with the files—keep going over them and see if something pops up and Reid," he turned to the young man, "you might wanna add Davis's murder site to the map, see where Foyet's heading. The body was discovered on 46th Road, 2 miles away from town."

Reid wordlessly nodded and then stood up to walk over to the whiteboard. Rossi looked to JJ and murmured a quick "I'll see you later." Then after she inclined her head, he left the two to work.

Reid marked up the whiteboard and examined the red markings. _First Dr. Harold Carson, then Rita Dallas, then the police officers, then Michael and Laura Preston, and now…Evan Davis. What are you doing, Foyet?_

Reid examined the whiteboard, his mind rebooting from its brief intermission and working at full capacity, before turning to JJ. "It seems that Foyet's heading north."

His colleague nodded thoughtfully and said, "I'll let the police know."

Once she left the room, Reid grabbed his cup of coffee and took a sip, wrinkling his nose at the bitter taste. Yet seeing that it was the only close to healthy thing keeping him up and active, he decided to ignore the borderline tart aftertaste and took a few more sips, the caffeine giving him a small charge. When JJ came back, she said, "Well I gave the officers a heads up and they said they'd increase the police patrol around the area. Hopefully they can stumble upon Foyet before he can disappear again."

"Hopefully," Reid remarked somberly, somewhat doubtfully as he turned back to the whiteboard. "I'm guessing that Foyet's choosing his victims at random and has no particular destination. I doubt that he has a specific location in mind but it would be good if we can track him down."

"Yeah, it would be good…" Reid picked up on the hesitation on JJ's voice and became alert as she warily resumed: "It would also be nice if we found Tobias or at least had a clue as to if he's with Foyet or not."

Reid instinctively stiffened before wordlessly nodding. Though her tone seemed even enough, he could only assume that she was controlling how much of her emotions she released in her voice and diction, not wanting to upset him on such a sensitive subject.

However instead taking his silence as a sign to lapse into her own, JJ chose to continue, carefully treading over her words as they were minefields: "What…what do you think, Reid? Do you…think Tobias is with Foyet?"

_And there it is. _

Reid took a deep breath, mentally debating how to answer before turning to her. "I would like to think that Foyet just released Tobias and went off on his own but we won't know until we get more evidence." It was a suitable answer—it was general and non-specific and it more or less summed up his logic as well as covered neutral territory.

JJ seemed conflicted before she decided to state, "Reid…as much as I hate to say it, it's most likely the case that Tobias is with Foyet. I mean, you heard Morgan, Foyet's been collecting data on Tobias for a long time. He wants to know about him-"

"I know what Morgan said, I was there too," Reid sharply interrupted. _And I'd rather _not_ have to think about it._

JJ's crystal orbs widened slightly at his harsh response yet quickly dilated as they looked to the ground. "I'm just saying that once we find out the truth then it would be best if you prepare for the worst. I mean, it is possible that Tobias took part in the Prestons' murders-"

"I know that." Reid clenched his fists as if to keep his rising anger from boiling over. _So much for keeping my emotions in check during the case. _"But until then, I'd like to believe that Tobias is innocent in all of this."

JJ studied him for a moment and dejectedly sighed. "I'm sure you do but Reid, you have to also take Tobias's personalities into consideration; they are horrible beings that corrupt Tobias's mind. If he wasn't able to control them before, then it's…unlikely that he can now."

Reid unknowingly released a noise of frustration. _This again? _"You don't know that—you don't _know_ Tobias. You haven't spent over a year getting to know him as a person rather than an Unsub. It's not his fault that his horrible life circumstances caused his personalities to form nor is it his fault that they turned out corrupt with radically twisted views on the Bible. Tobias is a victim in all of this and it's a shame that you and the others can't see this."

Seeing JJ's blue eyes sadden sent a twinge of guilt within Reid and it unconsciously made him ease up. He didn't want to argue with her but he refused to let her and the others continue thinking so badly of Tobias. Reid knows that he's a kind, compassionate soul and he's desperate for the team to see it too.

JJ dismally avoided his gaze and quietly said, "How can I see him as anything else? He's done so much to you…and it's all my fault."

Reid's expression instantly softened, the fangs of indignation retracting at the hurt and guilt in her eyes. Morgan's words back at the BAU instantly rang in his ears.

_You don't know how awful it was to see JJ so broken up. She was so guilty for supposedly letting you get kidnapped that she couldn't sleep. She kept beating herself up over it…_

Sometimes it's hard to remember that JJ had been there with him. It was _his_ idea to separate yet JJ had also received the flames for his decision. He could only imagine how awful she felt, the backlash she sustained, and the staggering, unwanted guilt that constantly crashed into her. Even Morgan had admitted that he partially blamed her.

_I couldn't help but be pissed with her anyways._

These thoughts plagued Reid as JJ released a breathy, bitter laugh, a laugh without mirth or amusement, a laugh that wasn't meant for her. "How could I have let you go off on your own? I mean I knew it wasn't a great idea but I…I just…I didn't…" Then she shook her head as if to gather her thoughts. "I didn't go after you or pull you back. I just…let you go." She emitted another one of those ghostly laughs. "Some partner I was. What kind of FBI agent lets her fellow agent chase after their suspect alone? What kind of _friend_ doesn't go after her friend when they do something dangerous? I might as well have handed you to Tobias myself and then look the other way."

Reid flinched as he watched JJ slowly crumble into her past guilt as it struck her just as hard as before. His gut coiled into knots that twisted tighter and tighter until he felt like retching. He felt stupid and utterly selfish for not even considering repercussions the team might have, what repercussions JJ was currently feeling and allowing to psychologically beat her to a pulp.

"JJ-" he tried but was cut off when she frantically turned to him.

"Reid…how can you be friends with Tobias? He…kidnapped and tortured you. Just…how?" Her eyes pleaded for an explanation and Reid automatically observed that this has been troubling her for some time now. Though he was fully aware that the news of him and Tobias's friendship had disturbed the entire team, it was only until now that he realized and witnessed how truly disquieted they were.

And yet, even as understanding and empathy showered him, he refused to let go of his convictions. After all, he knew he was right.

After several tense moments of internal debating, Reid eventually released a weary sigh and settled to repeat the same thing he told Morgan during the Adam Jackson case. "No, the altered persona of his father did those things to me. The real Tobias saved my life. He brought me back from the dead."

JJ looked at him for a moment, stunned by his response and clearing not expecting it. Reid calmly waited as she read his expression then slowly shook her head. "I just…don't understand."

"I'm not asking you to. I know it's hard to accept that I actually care for Tobias the same way I care about you and the others but I do. He's my friend and I want to find him. If…if he's with Foyet then I want to do all I can to bring him back safely. You don't have to like or understand our friendship…_yet_ but all I want is for you and the others to set aside your doubts and just _trust_ me, trust _in_ me and trust my judgment—get rid of your discomfort for the time being and put in the same effort you did to find me to find _him_. That's all I'm asking of you, JJ—help me find him."

JJ appeared almost taken aback at his words. For a moment they held each other's gaze as Reid silently implored her to trust him, to believe him.

Eventually something within her eyes shifted as she recognized the unique mixture of honesty and determination in his expression. She's known Reid for years and she's only seen that distinct countenance during rare occasions—like when Morgan had been accused of murder, or when Garcia had been found shot, or when Hotch had been ambushed by Foyet. That flaming, burning look in his eye was reserved for special cases involving his close friends and family, that fire only meant for times considered important to him.

"You're right," she finally said after a long moment of silent contemplation. "I don't understand and I don't think I ever will." She paused, hesitating, before continuing, "But if Tobias means that much to you then…I'll do my best to see that we find him."

Her words seemed to lift a heavy boulder weighing, sinking, drowning in his heart and he had to wrap his mind around the fact that that obstruction was even there let alone gone. Once the concept dawned on him, swept over him like a river through a valley, he lightly smiled at her. "Thank you, that's all I could want."

She returned the smile and nodded. Then they simultaneously, almost mechanically started looking at the files again, the air between them a lot less thick.

However, not everything was said and done—there was just one more thing left out that Reid realized he needed to address.

He took a moment to review what he wanted to say before Reid looked back up at JJ. "Just to let you know, I've never blamed you."

JJ looked at him, puzzled and caught off guard in a near extreme degree. "You…you never did?"

"How could I when it's not your fault?"

"But…but it _was_ my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone. We should've stayed together and then none of that would've happened. I shouldn't have-"

"JJ," Reid gently interrupted her progressively panicked ramble, "it's not your fault, splitting up was my idea. Sure it'd be logical if we did stay together but after several years of careful consideration, I think we were better off separating."

A blaring expression of alarm shadowed over JJ's pale face yet Reid refused to give her the chance to argue. "Think of it this way: let's just say we _did_ stay together then a plethora of scenarios could've taken place. For instance, we could've both went into the barn and chances are that Tobias would've gotten away while we dealt with his dogs. Then his personalities would've continued killing and we wouldn't have had much of an incentive to try and find him—now that's our _best_ case scenario.

"Our _worst_ case scenario would've been 'Charles' outright killing us, no questions asked and no hesitation. When he had overpowered me in the cornfield, he had wanted to kill me and if hadn't have been for Tobias, then he surely would've. But if both of us had gone after him, then I'm almost positive that he would've shot and killed us no matter what Tobias would've said."

JJ lightly cringed at the thought though she was somewhat numb by the reasoning Reid was presenting her with. "You don't know that for sure…"

"You're right, I don't—what _could've_ happened is that we could've both gone after Tobias and we could've _both_ been kidnapped. If 'Charles' had taken us, then he would've tortured us both and it would've been my fault for being so rash and impulsive in the first place. You…you could've been hurt like I was or even worse…I-I would've never forgiven myself for putting you through that."

JJ blanched in horror as she softly said, "I could've handled it-"

"I wouldn't have wanted you to," Reid firmly interjected. "I just…would rather you never meet 'Charles' or 'Raphael' face-to-face. So I guess in a way…I'm _glad_ we split up. JJ…I don't want you to think that it's your fault—it's not. It was just…horrible, unforeseen circumstances. Not once have I ever thought to blame you and I never will."

JJ looked at him for a moment, assessing him, as his cogitation fully enveloped her like a much-needed, long-deserved hug and her lips slowly curved into a relieved smile. "Thank you Spence."

Reid nodded in acknowledgement before they both went back to work, both feeling wonderful over the respective solace they were given. Though Reid knew that deep down it would take something short of a miracle for JJ to accept Tobias as his friend, he was at least more than satisfied by her genuine efforts to help find him. It was all he could ask for right now and it felt amazing knowing that someone was actually on his side, seeing that the team was holding marginal antagonistic opinions of his 'double life'.

But moreover, he was glad to ease her suffocating guilt—maybe not entirely, _that_ needs to be achieved on her own, yet it was a start, a _real_ start to her psychological process of accepting her role in those past circumstances. In short, the two of them heard what they both desperately need to hear, removing a small yet noticeable obstacle that prevented them from proceeding forward in this case.

However with it gone, they might be able to push aside any other persistent barriers and make some _real_ progress not only with the case, but with the rest of the team as well.

* * *

The two young profilers reread the files for a while, occasionally exchanging their thoughts aloud, until the rest of the team returned. First Hotch and Morgan walked into the station with Rossi and Prentiss following close behind, everyone displaying similar expressions of grim detachment.

Neither of them took that as a good sign. "What did you find?" Reid inquired.

"Well we found the Prestons in god-awful conditions," Morgan wearily began. "Michael Preston had been shot three times, once in the leg, once in the stomach, and the other in the head and then was stabbed 12 times post mortem." He shook his head in disgust with unwanted recollection. "Laura Preston had some bruises and was stabbed 57 times. Both had ligature marks on their wrists and both died of massive blood loss."

JJ looked mildly sickened yet overall not surprised. "What about Evan Davis?"

"Davis was found with head trauma and a couple of burns," Hotchner replied, taking up for Morgan.

Everyone but he and Morgan looked shocked and appalled, staring at them with disbelief. "_Burns?_" Reid scrunched up his nose.

Hotch dismally inclined his head. "There were several burn marks on his body but they were most severe on his hands and tongue."

"His tongue?" JJ quizzically questioned as her eyes widened. "How is that possible?"

"I think we can answer that," Rossi suddenly spoke up. "When Prentiss and I investigated the crime scene, we were faced with an abandoned car and some starter cables. The cables were…still warm…" He drifted off, unable to continue, yet everyone understood what he was getting at.

"Are…are you suggesting that Foyet hooked the starter cables onto Davis and then just…started the car?" JJ appeared horrified as the question left her lips, her already pale face notching down a shade.

When both Rossi and Prentiss both numbly nodded, the ghost of their horror still etched into their features, she shuddered. Hotchner shook his head and cleared his throat. "Unfortunately I think you're right. The person working at the ME told Morgan and I that Davis's burns didn't seem to come from a fire. From what we saw, Foyet attached one of the cables to Davis's hand and the other to Davis's…tongue. Then once he started the car, Davis was electrocuted and killed."

There were collective noises of disgust and alarm as everyone tried not to think of a man being electrocuted to death yet the image kept invading their minds like a recurring nightmare.

Eventually Prentiss managed to compartmentalize and addressed JJ and Reid. "Did you two discover anything new?"

"Not really," Reid replied apologetically. "Foyet seems to be heading north but that's about the most we could discover from our limited sources of evidence."

Rossi nodded in understanding. "So what we have so far is seven murders, four of which appear to be for selfish gain rather than bloodlust, and one kidnapping. Does Foyet even have plan?"

"He always has a plan," Hotchner brusquely responded before heading for the files. "Let's continue looking through these and see if we've overlooked something."

Without a proper strategy, the team settled for reviewing the crime photos until they got another lead. Their best chance was that Garcia might be able to back-hack Foyet and locate him through his Internet source. In the meantime though, they were stuck.

* * *

Several hours later the team was forced to retire for the evening and checked into a hotel for a night's rest. However, they were unaware of two figures slinking around the town after dark. The streets were deserted as most Atlanta residents were sleeping peacefully in their homes. Yet the two sneaking around relished the darkness as they silently crept through the shadows.

George Foyet slunk through the alleys with 'Raphael' at his heels. His eyes kept darting around for cop cars and security cameras and finding none in sight, he gestured for 'Raphael' to follow him as he quickly sprinted through the streets.

The two swiftly glided on the concrete and eventually stopped in front of an electronics store. Foyet grinned as he pulled out his resin mask and put it on. Then once he pulled out his gun, he turned to 'Raphael'. "I assume you know what to grab so I'll let ya break in while I get us a new car. Just grab a decent laptop and whatever else we'll need. Got it?"

The archangel stared at him for a moment, assessing his mask and trying to form an opinion before nodding. "I know exactly what to do."

"Good." Then Foyet handed him the gun, expecting him to take it. "Get to it." 'Raphael' briefly stared at the weapon before facing the building. Meanwhile Foyet looked around the block and spotted a lone man walking over to his parked car. Grinning with malicious delight, Foyet stalked over to his unsuspecting victim.

The man didn't notice him as he pulled out a set of keys and began to finger for the right one. Eventually he found his car key and opened the driver seat door. But before he could step in, Foyet's shadow loomed over him, prompting him to turn around.

Foyet viciously stabbed him in the chest before he could utter a sound.

Just as the body slumped to the ground, the sound of shattering glass was heard followed by a shrill alarm. Foyet looked up and smirked when he saw 'Raphael' disappear into the electronics store. Undeterred by the alarm, the Reaper merely hoisted the man's bleeding, shuddering, whimpering body into the back seat of the car and patiently waited for 'Raphael', picking up his victim's dropped keys as he did.

Less than a minute passed before the archangel came rushing back, carrying a high tech laptop as well as some other devices in his arms. He appeared untroubled by the alarm and scanned the area with his soulless, emotionless eyes. Foyet waved him over before jumping into the car and starting the engine.

The second 'Raphael' leapt into the vehicle and dumped the electronics in the backseat, Foyet floored the gas pedal and the car raced off, leaving behind the blaring alarm as well as the sound of sirens approaching from the distance.

* * *

**I thought that talk between JJ and Reid was long overdue and trust me when I say that I've went over 'what ifs' for "The Big Game" and "Revelations" dozens upon dozens of times.**

**What do you guys think would've happened if things went differently?**

**Well that's all I got. Bring that helmet for the next chapter! You'll need it ;D**

**P.S Trying not to get distracted by the image of Jackson Rathbone as a gorgeous yet murderous, creepy Unsub...**


	14. Darker Shades

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys, so my family and I are going on vacation for a few days and we're leaving tomorrow. I'll be out of state so I won't be able to update for at least a week or so and also I won't have Internet access so I can't get back to any PMs. Basically Fanfiction will be completely out of my grasp so don't think I'm abandoning you guys or that I'm ignoring you. Until I get back, enjoy this update! :)**

**Ebonypol: I'm so glad you are! Thanks as always for your amazing support and I hope you like this chapter too!**

**Liliane: Hi! I'm so sorry to hear about your netbook; hopefully you can get it fixed or replaced soon! Until then, don't worry about writing reviews and such! I don't mind :)**

**I'm fine, thank you for asking! Thanks for the compliments! I was hoping that Davis's murder was different and I'm glad you liked JJ and Reid's talk! I pray it was authentic!**

**Jackson Rathbone is a gift from the gods ;)**

**To be honest I'm not much of a party person either. I'm just not that outgoing, fun type of person; I consider myself to be that awkward chick hanging out with her friends, drinking a soda, and pathetically attempting to dance! XD**

**Warnings: violence, blood, gore, gruesome images, references to drugs, language, spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

Tobias had no idea what happened. One minute he was arguing with Charles about murdering those people and the next thing he knew, he was in what appeared to be a cheap motel room watching Raphael talk with Foyet. His breathing hitched in alarm as he realized that there was a sudden change in location and he practically jumped once he fully comprehended the archangel's presence.

_Good lord…the archangel's here too?!_

He attempted regain himself and properly figure out what the hell happened and then realized with a sinking sense of dread that he had blacked out for hours, judging by the nighttime sky outside.

_What…what happened to me? Did they…did they knock me out or maybe they…_drugged_ me?!_

Tobias instantly grew distressed at the prospect. _They…they wouldn't! But…how?!_

He wracked his brain for answers yet came up with no plausible explanation; he just couldn't think of a reasonable justification that explained why he was out of it for so long. His head wasn't hurting from being struck and he's been using Dilaudid, psychedelics, and hospital meds for years so he'd _know_ if he was injected with something.

_The world's gone mad._

Neither the archangel nor Foyet seemed to notice him as they conversed and Tobias couldn't tell if they were purposely ignoring him or not.

"I thought you said you knew how to use computers," Raphael said condescendingly. "Why aren't you uploading the video?"

"Because," Foyet replied with exaggerated patience, "I'm not sure if you know this but the FBI can track down our Internet signal the minute we post something. We need the proper wiring to ensure that we can create a firewall that they can't get through, like how Tobias did for you guys."

Tobias couldn't help but stiffen at the mention of his name.

Raphael raised an eyebrow and continued with his criticisms. "If that's the case then why did you bother having me pilfer these devices," he gestured over to a laptop as well as some pieces of electronic items; Tobias's eyes widened at the sight of them, "when we're not going to use them? How else are we going to send God's messages?"

_Oh God they're doing the video murders again?! No!_

"Relax Raphael," Foyet smoothly said, completely composed and untroubled by the archangel's persistent censure. "I've got it all covered. The thing is, we _do_ need this laptop but we need to find a place to hook it up first. I figure we ought to wait until we find the perfect hideout. I was thinking we could continue filming sinners until we do and _then_ we'll upload God's word once we actually find a place. I swear it'll get done. Just trust me." Foyet grinned with ease.

_No, no…they can't be serious about doing this! Not again! NO!_

Tobias was horrified to see Raphael contemplate Foyet's words before reluctantly nodding, conceding to his planning. "I suppose you're right. I'll never understand mundane technology but I do remember Charles speaking to me about it and Tobias did attempt to explain it to me once."

_Not by choice!_

Foyet grinned triumphantly, knowing fully well that he won. "Yeah but believe me when I say that we'll make do with teaching sinners a lesson in the meantime. We'll have fun, I promise." His grin sharpened like a switchblade against metal and Tobias unconsciously shivered.

Raphael didn't seem shaken as he merely inclined his head. "Fine by me. Do you happen have a place in mind for us to set up?"

"Unfortunately no—we'll have to find it on our own."

"Very well. When do we start?"

Tobias grew cold at the murderous, sadistic glint in Foyet's eyes, becoming already familiar with it in such short time. "Well the night is still young if you want to go somewhere now. I know the perfect place too."

"Lead me to the sinners and I'll take care of them."

* * *

In no time the three arrived at a quiet, pleasant neighborhood about 15 minutes away from the motel. Tobias had kept quiet throughout the ride, not wanting to be noticed much less addressed. He knew that he were to protest then he would only be rebuked or ignored so he figured his best option was to follow along, virtually unseen for the time being until he can get help.

Not the best idea but it would have to do.

Tobias was surprised that neither Raphael nor Foyet acknowledged his presence but nevertheless he still kept quiet, even when they briefly stopped the car to dump out the dead body of a random man stuffed in the trunk; he only watched in horror as Foyet shot him in the head for good measure, carved the word FATE into his torso, and placed a ring on his finger before taking the man's glasses. Tobias blanched and was instantly stricken with nausea yet was forced to shove aside his anguished revulsion in order to keep a clear head.

Whatever Raphael and Foyet had planned for the evening, he was determined to stop it one way or another.

Eventually they arrived at a two-story home and they parked their car on the curb and walked out. Tobias remained at a close distance as Raphael looked up at the house.

Foyet beamed at the structure and remarked, "I think you'll like this place, Raphael. I've observed these people once in a while and I've noticed a few things that I find _very_ wrong. Trust me when I say that they deserve punishment."

The archangel looked to him, mildly doubtful before inquiring, "What sins have been committed in this place?"

"These people," Foyet gestured to the building with a confident, seemingly trustworthy grin, "are atheists."

Instantly Raphael seemed to bristle, his brow furrowing in disapproval and disgust. "They don't believe in Him? They've completely broken the 1st official commandment. They must be punished."

Foyet sneered at his concession, as if he were waiting for it. "I couldn't agree more. Let's do this." Then grabbing the video camera, Foyet put on his resin mask as he and Raphael approached the house.

Dread began to seep into him as Tobias secretly followed along. They stopped at the front entrance and Foyet began to examine the exterior before his eyes lit up. Then gesturing over to Raphael, he slunk over to the side of the house. They soon reached a side door that led into the kitchen and Foyet's gloved hands jiggled the door, finding it locked.

However, the man wasn't discouraged as he pulled out his gun. Then without a word or gesture of warning, he suddenly smashed down onto the doorknob deprived of any sort of hesitation. The force of the weapon as well as Foyet's brute strength broke off the knob and Tobias's eyes widened as it fell with a loud THUNK and rolled into the bushes. Phlegmatic Raphael appeared mildly impressed as Foyet strode in and he went in after him. After a moment, Tobias followed them in.

The house was dark and deadly quiet as the three men crept in. They were in a nice, clean kitchen with a marble counter that had chairs around the table and pots and pans hanging from the ceiling. Upon glancing around, Tobias was reminded of his own home when he was a boy before his mom left, when his family was as happy and normal as a family should be.

"This way," Foyet murmured as they exited the kitchen and into the living room. They had just barely entered when they heard the sound of shuffling above on the second floor. They all instantly froze but the shuffling got louder and was proceeded with muffled voices.

The residents of the house were awake.

Foyet seemed to realize this too because he turned to Raphael. "If I recall, there are three sinners in this house: a man, a woman, and their daughter. I'll help you apprehend them before I start filming."

Raphael nodded in agreement and then two headed for the stairs and after a moment's delay to stiffen his resolve, Tobias trailed after them. When they reached the top, they saw a light on in the main bedroom and registered that the voices were coming from there.

Though Tobias couldn't see it behind the mask, he could've sworn that Foyet smirked. "You ready for this, Raphael?"

The archangel inclined his head and Foyet went to the bedroom. Tobias was frozen in place until he spotted a telephone nearby. Before he could think, he quickly grabbed the device and mechanically dialed three single digits.

He waited anxiously as the phone rang once before a calm, female voice responded, "9-1-1 what's your emergency?"

Tobias quickly looked to the bedroom door before stuttering, "H-hello. I…I'm on 348 S. Evergreen Dr."

"Sir, I know where you're calling from. What's your emergency?"

A sense of déjà vu swept through Tobias's entire form, causing him to shiver before he got a hold of himself. "These…these people are atheists. They don't believe in God."

The person on the other end didn't say anything for a brief second. "You're calling because these people are atheists?"

Tobias was disjointedly frustrated by the incredulous disbelief in the woman's voice and apprehensively responded, "Well…yes and no. They are but that's not the point. Raphael and George Foyet are going to kill them. They're going to kill them for-"

Suddenly he was caught off by a piercing scream of horror followed by a yell of pain. Tobias flinched and hurriedly whispered, "It-it's too late! Mr. Foyet's got them! He's going to let Raphael-"

"What are you doing?" Tobias instantly jumped as the archangel appeared out of nowhere next to him, fixating him with a frown. He automatically clutched the phone tighter and cursed himself for his trepidation.

"Sir…sir what was that noise?" The 9-1-1 operator anxiously asked, "Are you still there?"

_Yes I'm still here! Now send someone over!_

Raphael looked at the phone before snatching it from his hands. "You're trying to send for help again."

Tobias collected his wits and narrowed his eyes at him. "Yes because this isn't right! You tell Foyet to leave those people alone!" As if to contradict his demands, another scream sounded throughout the house and then glass was shattered.

Raphael was unfazed by the background chaos. "It must be done." Then he spoke into the phone, his lifeless eyes still trained on him. "Raphael is going to kill the sinners of this home. I suggest no one interferes." Then he put down the phone without a word before heading into the bedroom. Tobias stared at the phone while the operator repeatedly tried to call him back before he reluctantly followed after him.

Once he walked in, Tobias's eyes widened at the scene before him. There was a man unconscious on the floor, bleeding from an apparent head wound, while Foyet was holding onto a woman who struggled in his grip.

Foyet looked up upon seeing him. "About time. This bitch scratched me!" He quickly indicated to four visible tears clawed into his mask.

Raphael raised an eyebrow without concern and simply stated, "I was handling a situation with Tobias." The archangel pointedly looked at him but Tobias's eyes were on the sobbing woman striving to escape Foyet's grip, debating if he was strong enough to fight Foyet if he were to lunge at him and give the woman a chance to escape.

Foyet himself looked at him, seeming to just realize his presence before his eyes lit up behind his mask. "Tobias! Glad you can join the party!" He then turned back to Raphael, sounding unworried as he asked, "May I ask what _kind_ of situation?"

"He had just called 9-1-1."

For a moment Foyet's eyes briefly dilated before dulling back as he barked a laugh. "Is that it? That's not a bad situation—it just means we'll have a late audience coming." He then glanced at Tobias. "Just like you used to. Must be nice getting back into the system huh Tobias?"

He instantly cringed and shook his head. "I already told you before that I refuse to be a part of this!"

Foyet shrugged, discomfited. "Very well, your loss." Looking back at the archangel, he said, "I have the camera set up over there," he jerked his head over and sure enough the camera was set on a stand, pointed at them, "it's not on yet so when you're ready, just hit that red button and it'll start to record. I'll hold the woman for you while you…work." Then he shoved the woman down to the floor, only to grab her arm, twist it painfully behind her before clutching her head and yanking it back to expose her throat. She screamed and sobbed louder.

Raphael nodded as he pulled out the knife Foyet had given him; the woman shrieked and tried to viciously yank herself free, releasing a bloodcurdling scream. Just as the archangel made a step forward, Tobias cried out, "NO!" before lunging forward and grabbing Raphael from behind, pinning his arms to the side.

This was probably the most Tobias has ever seen Raphael surprised when the archangel actually started with shock. "What are you doing? Release me."

"No!" Tobias held on tighter to the archangel as he squirmed in his grip. "I won't let you kill again! You're not doing this again!"

"I said release me!" The archangel firmly demanded, "I won't have you get in the way of the Lord's work!" Raphael attempted to wrestle free yet Tobias used the adrenaline in his system as well as his own determination to fuel his strength.

_If I can just restrain him long enough, then the police can come and end this nightmare before it starts!_

Eventually though Foyet got impatient and frustrated. "Oh for the love of…Tobias! Stop! Just fucking stop!"

Tobias suppressed a flinch at Foyet's murderous tone and managed to exclaim, "N-no! I can't let you do this!"

"You're gonna have to. Raphael and I need to teach these sinners the way of the Lord. Do you want to go to Hell for interfering?!"

"I don't care," Tobias retorted as his resolve began to strengthen. "I'd rather die than sit back and do nothing!"

"Oh is that so?" Foyet shot back darkly, mockingly. "Funny you should mention death because you know who I think should die next…your little friend from the institution. What was his name again? Oh yeah…_Benjamin_."

Almost immediately Tobias felt his heart stop fearfully like a person afraid of heights trapped at the climax of a roller coaster; there was no way down and one false move sent you plummeting. The image of Benjamin came to mind, his usually bright eager eyes dimmed as his life was ripped from him. He could see blood gushing from him and Foyet standing over him, plunging in the knife over and over and over again…

_Ben…_

Tobias looked at him with dread and whispered, "No."

"Yes. And then maybe afterward we can go after Dr. Reid. I can guarantee you that he's here in Atlanta looking for me so it wouldn't be too hard finding him. And once I do, you can have a front row seat as he dies by my hand. Imagine what he'll look like with all his blood drained out of him…his throat slit…his fingers missing…his body disemboweled…and his eyes ripped from his sockets as I finish him off with-"

"STOP!" Tobias cried out, unknowingly releasing Raphael as these gruesome images invaded his head. "No! You leave him alone!"

Foyet's eyes glinted with amusement as he lethally growled, "If you want him and Benjamin untouched, then I suggest you stay out of our way. Otherwise we're gonna have problems…or should I say Benjamin and Dr. Reid are gonna have problems. Understand?"

Tobias looked from him, to Raphael, to the woman, before back at him, conflicted and utterly defeated. "Please…don't do this."

Foyet appeared to smirk and looked to the archangel, completely disregarding him now. "I'm ready when you are, Raphael."

Then to Tobias's alarm, Raphael switched on the camera and calmly strode over to the woman. Foyet quickly bared her neck and without hesitation, Raphael quickly swiped the knife at her throat, horribly slicing it and unleashing a torrent of blood. Almost instantly the woman's tear-filled eyes dulled as life and light swiftly faded and left, reverting to a dark, dead shade.

Tobias's stomach turned as color immediately drained from the woman and leaving an ashy white in its wake. The woman slumped forward, out of Foyet's hands, and her now lifeless body crumpled to the ground. Tobias stared at the body in horror, watching as blood seeped out of her neck and staining the carpet and creating a sticky pool around her. A small choking sound was emitted, so thin that it went almost unheard, and it eventually died down.

She was dead.

Tobias could only gape at the dead woman as the realization of her death fully struck him, hitting him hard until he couldn't breathe.

_No…no…not again…_

Raphael however seemed undeterred as Foyet hummed with satisfaction. "Nice work. I'll finish her off while you take care of her hubbie."

The archangel nodded and said, "You said these sinners had a daughter. Where is she?"

Foyet apathetically shrugged. "We passed her room but I didn't see her there. She must be out." Raphael inclined his head and then moved onto the still unconscious man, dragging him to the camera's sight. He then proceeded to slit the man's throat, giving him enough incentive to open his eyes and cry out in pain, screaming bloody murder. Raphael merely let his body drop and observed as he slowly died in his own blood.

Meanwhile Foyet was kneeling over the woman, examining her dead form. Then he took back the knife from Raphael before thrusting it into her, brutally yanking it in and out…in and out…in and out…

Tobias wasn't sure how many times Foyet stabbed the woman before he looked away and even so he still heard flesh being ripped by an unforgiving blade. Raphael watched him with mild interest and making no move to stop him.

The rest was a blur as Tobias vaguely recalled Foyet putting a pair of glasses on the woman before taking her necklace. Then he turned off the camera and they rushed out of there, Raphael dragging him out. Tobias felt numbness clawing him as he was barely aware of them all climbing into their car and driving off. Even so, he could've sworn that he heard police sirens coming up somewhere far from them and heading for the house.

_They're too late…_I _was too late…_

Tobias watched in shock as Foyet laughed and removed his mask as he drove, complimenting Raphael on his knife-work and suggesting that he ought to try stabbing once in a while. The archangel seemed willing to try and he lapsed into silence, watching the footage they had just shot. Tobias felt bile churning within his stomach as he noted Raphael's ostensible expression of satisfaction and contentment.

He looked to Foyet who was humming to himself, pleased, as he twirled the necklace in his hand, a trophy that signified his appalling deed. It was a simple necklace with a silver chain and a cross attached to it. Tobias watched him with a torrent of dark emotions: disgust, fear, and anger rose above all of them and threatening to consume him.

Tobias attempted to force it back as he tried to think a way out of this, without endangering anyone. Though he couldn't be sure that Foyet has any way to get to either Ben or Spencer, Tobias _was_ certain that Foyet wasn't bluffing—if he truly wanted to, he could somehow find them and murder them, making sure that _he_ was watching the entire bloodbath. Tobias flinched as horrific, grisly murders tore through his mind and threatened to become graphically real.

He instantly shook his head and blinked hard to erase those thoughts; not only were they not helpful but they only served to distract him from coming up with a decent plan of action. Yet being reminded of Spencer made Tobias realize something: if Foyet was correct in saying that he was probably in Atlanta, then that meant that most likely his FBI friends were here with him. Tobias immediately grew hopeful, comforted that Spencer and his team were searching for Foyet because he knew that if anyone were to catch him, it'd be them.

Because though he may not know them, Tobias did know Spencer and he trusted the young man and all the glowing praises he's told him of his team. In their letters, Tobias could practically feel Spencer's smile whenever he mentioned his fellow FBI agents and had faith that they will stop Foyet and also Charles and Raphael.

Yet that doesn't mean Tobias will sit back and do nothing until then. If Spencer and his friends were in Atlanta, then this also means that he has a chance to contact the young man and warn him of Foyet's plans. One way or another if he could reach Spencer then he could escape this sick game as well as turn in Foyet for the serial killer he is.

However first he had to find some way to tip off the young agent without Foyet's knowledge.

As he mentally ran through some ideas, he absentmindedly regarded Foyet rubbing the cross charm between his fingers.

His eyes widened. A _cross_ charm…

Then it struck him: the woman wasn't an atheist.

Foyet had been lying.

* * *

**Did anyone's hatred of Foyet just increase? I will be taking suggestions for any possible death scenarios now...that is ****_if_**** I decide to kill him off or not. The decision is still on the fence for me ;)**

**Well that's all I got for today! See you all when I get back! Have a wonderful week! :D**


	15. Fate Plays Favorites

**Hey Fanfic people, it's great to back! So how have you all been? :D**

**I can't believe that I have 43 followers! Thanks you guys, it means a lot to me! Also, special thanks to People Person I'm Not (hehe I see what you did there), ebonypol (emphasis on ****_if_****), zeldawolf2000 (hehe, yeah...), songwriterforlife99 (XD), and Erun1 (I feel the exact same way...****_very_**** nicely said by the way ;D) for reviewing! Your comments not only motivate but they bring a smile to my day :)**

**Warnings: mentions of violence and blood, gruesome images, spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

The BAU team was woken up earlier than they would've liked but when Morgan got a call from Chief Sullivan, they knew something was up. Immediately Morgan and Hotch awakened everyone else and once they freshened up somewhat, they all headed for the police station. As the agents strolled in, Reid took note of the groggy faces that languidly mulled around the area, striving to stay awake.

To be honest with himself, he wouldn't have minded an hour or so more to sleep yet he pushed away his drowsiness by grabbing a quick cup of the station's awful coffee. His colleagues did the same and soon some of the weariness was erased from their expressions and instantly became more alert.

Reid sipped his caffeinated beverage, his mind gearing up at the familiar caffeine in his system as Chief Sullivan met them appearing grave. "Oh thank god you're here! I'm sorry to wake you but obviously I wouldn't have if it wasn't important!"

Morgan nodded solemnly and replied, "No worries, just tell us what happened."

Sullivan inclined his head and said without missing a beat, "We just got a call telling us that the Reaper committed another murder."

That surely had the entire team awake and they snapped into the full capacity of their profiler mode. "Already?" Prentiss asked incredulously.

"Yes, there was a 9-1-1 call less than an hour ago reporting that Foyet was going to kill Nathan and Deborah Henderson. The operator claimed to have heard the sounds of a struggle on the other line and when we went to investigate, they were found dead."

Alarm instantly jolted Reid at the sense of recognition. "Wait, 9-1-1 call? Who made the report?"

Chief Sullivan furrowed his brow in thought. "He didn't say his name but we're running his voice through our system to see if we recognize him. The 9-1-1 operator said that she had talked to him before he was interrupted by someone else, a man who called himself 'Raphael'."

Reid felt himself stiffen as the world seemed to close in on him. Hearing the sound of that one, accursed name seemed to strike into the emotional shield that the young man desperately attempted to keep in position, weakening it with a single, heavy blow. His heart thumped loudly, violently within his chest, allowing him to ignore the glances exchanged by the team and the not-so discreet ones thrown at him.

_Raphael…he was there._

"Raphael, huh?" Morgan commented with a scoff. "So I guess Hankel _is_ with Foyet. Took him long enough to show himself."

JJ and Rossi were decent enough to throw him a sharp glance which he disregarded. Prentiss and Hotch chose to ignore his comment as the police chief continued: "Hold up, are you saying that that was _Hankel_ on the phone? How can you tell?"

"Tobias was known for calling 9-1-1 before one of his personalities, 'Raphael', murdered their victims. It was part of his M.O." Hotchner explained, looking grim.

Sullivan nodded in understanding. "Well we have CSI checking the scene out now so you do what you need to. As far as we know there was no evidence left behind. The Hendersons are at the ME if you want to check out their bodies. Turns out they had a teenage daughter who had been out with her friends so thank god she wasn't killed too. We have her in one of our interrogation rooms but she hasn't offered anything helpful."

The police chief paused in his pensiveness before adding, "Oh and I'm not sure if this is useful but we had also gotten a call reporting a burglary. A local electronics store was robbed last night—a laptop and some external hard drives were stolen."

The team was thrown off by this new development as the same thought crashed into them, a thought that Reid didn't even want to consider.

"That puts Tobias back in business," Hotch said aloud, unknowingly utilizing the same words he did those years ago.

"We don't know that," Reid hurriedly put in. "We can't just assume that 'Raphael' is going to start posting up videos again."

Morgan narrowed his eyes at him and irritably countered, "Well do you have another explanation for us then, Reid? What else could Tobias, a former _computer_ tech support, do with some _computer_ devices?"

The young profiler frowned at his colleague and opened his mouth to retort but then closed it, mentally cursing Morgan and himself. Morgan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah that's what I thought."

"But let's have Garcia check the street cameras just in case," JJ quickly put in. "We need to be sure. After all, Foyet _is_ in all of this too."

Rossi nodded in agreement. "Yeah that might be a good idea. I'll call her now." But luck would have it that Morgan's phone rang at that moment, signaling her oncoming call. "Uh never mind."

Morgan instantly answered it: "Hey mama, I'm putting you on speaker." Once he did, he asked, "What do you have for us, sugar?"

"Well hotstuff I just spent the entire night trying to track Foyet," Garcia said from the other line. "Turns out he's a bit smarter than I thought and wherever he hacked those computer files, he did so on a decently guarded laptop. But yours truly managed to find that rat's signal and I have an address for you. The signal is currently in use at a motel on Renegade and Elm Street."

"Thanks Baby girl," Morgan said. "You're the best."

"I know," she chirped with joy.

"Garcia," Reid spoke up, "do you think you can get us the security footage from an electronics store that was robbed last night?"

"Well of course I can, Boy Wonder, you shouldn't question the almighty powers of a tech goddess."

Reid couldn't help the faint smile that touched his lips. "Thanks. Let us know what you find."

"Will do!" Then with that she hung up.

Nodding to himself, Morgan turned to the team. "Alright so we've got three different places to go: the Henderson residence, the motel, and the ME—we can skip the electronics store since Garcia's handling it. So Hotch, you and Rossi check out the crime scene; JJ, stay here and listen to the 9-1-1 recorded call; Reid, go with Sullivan to the ME; and Prentiss, you and I will go to the motel."

They all nodded and instantly separated to accomplish their individual tasks. Reid was more or less thrilled about having a babysitter but seeing that it was Chief Sullivan he didn't mind so much.

Better him than any of the others. After all, with Tobias's confirmed status, Reid was not willing to deal with any pitied looks from the team or a disdainful expression of 'I told you so' from Morgan. He felt awful enough about the situation as it was.

* * *

Hotchner and Rossi arrived at the crime scene within minutes. They stepped out of their van and approached a normal-looking two-story house. Upon entering, they discovered the CSI scoping the area out, searching for any evidence. When one informed them that the murder was committed in the top bedroom, the profilers wordlessly went up the stairs.

Once they reached the area, they noted that the house phone was lying on the table, left untouched since Tobias used it. They passed it and entered the bedroom, finding the room in disarray and a massive amount of dried blood staining the carpet.

Hotchner looked around the room with a sense of familiarity. "Foyet didn't waste any time here. He attacked and overpowered them quickly."

Rossi nodded somberly. "It would seem so. The amount of blood and broken items indicate that the Hendersons put up one hell of a fight."

"But it wasn't enough." Hotch mournfully shook his head then turned to a nearby CSI agent. "Excuse me but were you able to identify the blood?"

The man nodded without a second thought. "Yeah, a good majority of it came from Deborah Henderson while the rest came from Nathan Henderson."

"Were there any fingerprints?"

"Unfortunately no. If there were any then they came from the Hendersons."

"Thank you." The man inclined his head and went back to work.

Hotch looked to Rossi. "Let's see if either Foyet or Hankel left us a message." Then the two began to scope the area looking for something, anything. Unfortunately they found nothing.

Rossi furrowed his brow in confusion. "That's strange. I thought at least Foyet would've left something."

Hotchner nodded distractedly. "I'm guessing because Tobias called 9-1-1, it gave him less time to do so. But I'm a bit concerned with Hankel's part in this. I'm thinking back to when he was our Unsub; he never used to leave messages except on the 9-1-1 calls. He would often recite a quote from the Bible that would relate to what his victims have done, their supposed sins."

"Well I guess the only way we'll know is if we hear the 9-1-1 call. But something bothers me, hear me out Hotch—so you say that Tobias would spy on people through their laptops while his personality 'Raphael' would murder them, right?"

When Hotchner inclined his head, Rossi continued: "Alright so from what I've read about 'Raphael', he kills people who he believes have sinned. We're not sure if he actually joined in on this crime in particular but we can assume that he most likely did. If we know that Foyet kills for the bloodlust then how would he convince 'Raphael' to kill these people?"

Hotchner thought for a moment and frowned. "That's an interesting question. Perhaps he manipulated Tobias so that he was under the pretense that he was killing sinners. I don't think they have access to spy on people so my best guess is that Foyet's picking them at random. All he has to do is give Tobias a legitimate enough excuse to murder and he'd be all in. Foyet doesn't even have to tell the truth seeing that he already has Tobias's trust."

Rossi shook his head somberly. "We have many hypotheses yet nothing for certain. We need a break in this case."

"Yeah we do. And we need it before Foyet and Hankel murder more innocent people."

* * *

Meanwhile Morgan and Prentiss were storming through the motel with some SWAT people following them. The profilers were wearing a bullet-proof vest that read 'FBI' and had their guns trained ahead of them as they hurriedly swept through the hallways.

They briefly stopped outside a room as Morgan turned to Prentiss. "According to Garcia, the signal is coming from behind this door." Then he glanced at the SWAT team. "Be ready for anything."

Everyone instinctively tightened their hold on their weapons before Morgan looked back at the door. He lightly bobbed his head. _1…2…3_

Then without warning he gave the door a fierce kick and it quickly broke off its hinges. "FBI!" Immediately he and the others rushed into the room, their guns positioned in front of them, as they scanned the area. Everything was normal: the sheets were folded, the room was clean, and there was basically no indication that anyone had even been there.

But worst of all, there was no one there.

Not taking any chances, the group spread out within the room, checking the bathroom, behind doors and curtains, and under the bed. Yet the place was empty.

"Clear!" Morgan called out and everyone minimally lowered their guns, tense and only mildly relaxed.

"Morgan, check it out," Prentiss exclaimed as she indicated to a lone laptop resting on the kitchen table. The two went up to the device while the SWAT members remained at a safe distance. "Found Foyet's laptop."

"He just left it here?" Morgan suspiciously questioned. "That doesn't make much sense if he's gonna need it."

"But he doesn't need it if he's stolen a new one," Prentiss pointed out.

"Then that means he left it here on purpose…for us to find." Prentiss nodded and the two stared at the laptop for a moment before she carefully opened it with gloved hands.

When the laptop asked for a password, the two exchanged glances. "I guess we'll have Garcia hack into his system and we'll see what he wants us to find," Morgan stated as a matter of fact.

Prentiss shrugged and remarked, "Unless you can think of a password Foyet would use then yeah, Garcia will have to use her magic."

Morgan wryly grinned before turning back to the laptop. "Try 'The Reaper'." Prentiss typed it in but received nothing.

"What about 'Foyet'?" Prentiss tried again and still nothing.

"How about 'Eye of Providence'?" Once again they were locked out.

"This isn't working," Prentiss stated. "Garcia will have to hack into it for us."

Morgan thought for a moment before remembering something about some of Foyet's old crime scenes. "Wait…try 'FATE'."

Lightly shrugging, Prentiss tried the code and to their surprise, they were taken to the computer's desktop. They exchanged glances before examining the contents. They came across a plethora of interesting subjects, including security footage from the institution, emails exchanged from the institution, tagged articles, and videos, tons of videos.

And they all related to one person.

"Well obviously Foyet has been digging around for information," Morgan grimly commented. "Basically everything here pertains to Tobias one way or another."

Prentiss slowly nodded as she warily examined the laptop's contents. "It's unbelievable how much he can get out of one guy. I mean look at all of this: his criminal records, online articles, his hospital records, and even his old school records. Talk about borderline obsessive."

"No kidding." Then something caught Morgan's eye and caused him to squint at the screen. "Hey Prentiss…check out the label on that file."

Prentiss glanced at it before her eyes widened. "It says 'click me'."

There was a moment of tense silence as the profilers were conflicted over opening the file. After an internal debate, Morgan slowly reached over and moved the mouse so that it clicked the file.

It was a video.

As they watched it, their eyes widened, unable to process what they were viewing. When it was over, it was clear what Foyet's message was.

And it unnerved them more than ever.

* * *

Reid frowned at the dead bodies before him. This didn't make any sense. Nathan Henderson was found with a single blow to the head and a slit throat. On the other hand, Deborah Henderson was left with her throat sliced as well as 27 stab wounds post-mortem.

Foyet never slits throats.

Reid has memorized each and every one of his case files yet there wasn't one time that he's slit a throat before.

No, his kills were more lethal and bloody with excruciating pain that follows. They were never…merciful.

"Does something strike you?" Reid looked up at Chief Sullivan, briefly forgetting that he was there.

"Um, actually yeah," the young profiler responded. "The modus operandi is…different. Nathan Henderson's head wound and Deborah Henderson's stab wounds make sense to Foyet's methods yet the throat slicing doesn't. He's never done that before."

Sullivan lightly frowned and inquired, "But didn't he slit that one officer's throat during Hankel's prison break?"

Reid stiffened at the gruesome reminder yet evenly replied, "Yes but that kill was more for circumstances; if Foyet had the time then he would've killed that policeman properly, as in his own way."

"Oh I see. So what does this mean?"

Reid thought for a moment before he shook his head, unable to conjure an explanation. "I don't know." He turned to the ME examiner. "Were Mrs. Henderson's stab wounds post mortem or the cause of death?"

"Post mortem," the woman answered without hesitation. "She died of blood loss from the gash across her throat; the stab wounds were inflicted afterwards and the same goes for Mr. Henderson."

Reid inclined his head. "I thought so." He then examined the body further, lost in his thoughts.

_Foyet's known for being unpredictable at times but this…this is different. His murders are ruthless, merciless, and cruel—he wants his victims to suffer as much as possible. Maybe this new throat slitting technique is a way for his narcissistic tendencies to evolve—after all, his victims would still be petrified and he would still have control._

_…No. Foyet's a narcissistic sadist. He has all the power with each and every stab he exacts and he truly does relish in stabbing—it's often a substitute for sexual penetration in regards to the women. He wouldn't give that up. But why slit throats? Maybe with 'Raphael' around…_

He instinctively tensed up, recalling that Tobias was officially in the equation. Now that they had proof that he's with Foyet…

_There was couple sitting in their living room enjoying one another. The woman kissed her husband and he suggests that they share some wine which she gratefully accepts. _

_Reid looked at them, an ugly feeling of dread coiling within his stomach. He was in that shack, restrained to that chair as his wrists were bound by handcuffs. He couldn't get free, he had nowhere to go. He was forced to watch the computer screen, knowing fully well what was going to happen yet helpless to prevent it._

_Something shifts near the woman and she looked up, her eyes widening at the hooded figure pointing a knife at her. He gestures for silence, picks up the phone, and dials 9-1-1._

_"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"_

_That familiar, toneless voice answers, "3514 Leavenworth. Raphael has killed them before their lives could free more sinners."_

_He hangs up, yanks the woman in front of him just as her husband returns. He savagely slits her throat, carelessly dropping her to the ground before he strides over to the horrified man._

_Reid squeezed his eyes shut as he trembled from the silent sobs that wracked his body. But the woman's whimpers still remained and he still heard the sound of knife slicing through tender flesh._

_There was nothing he could've done._

Reid blinked as he attempted to regain his rapidly shallow breathing.

Slowly, almost reluctantly, he turned to face the bodies of the Hendersons again. The slits were brutal, unfeeling, and heartless, a sight all too familiar for him. Foyet was malicious, yes, but these were a different kind of inhuman and remorseless.

Raphael.

_A local electronics store was robbed last night—a laptop and some external hard drives were stolen…That puts Tobias back in business._

His palms were iced with sweat and he unconsciously shook his head. There had to be another explanation. Reid so desperately wanted to believe that Tobias had nothing to do with Foyet, that he was just a discarded pawn. He didn't want to believe anything else but the evidence was right in front of him, mocking him.

Tobias was working with Foyet.

"Whoa, now _that's_ Foyet's work." Reid flinched slightly as Sullivan's astounded voice reached his ears. The police chief's eyes were trained on a medical examiner that walked into the room, rolling in a steel table with another body. Upon closer observation, Reid realized what Sullivan was talking about—the body was dirty with dried blood, the gruesome hole of a bullet marred into the unnamed man's head and the word 'FATE' grotesquely carved into his torso.

Reid winced as he stared at the sickening scars as the examiner caught his look. "A hiker found this man, identified as Eugene Sanders, by the side of the road. His family was contacted and his car was reported stolen."

Chief Sullivan nodded, his eyes never leaving the body and his nose wrinkled with horrified disgust. "I guess Foyet and Hankel must've taken it."

Reid inclined his head and turned to the woman. "By any chance do you know if there was anything significant found with Mr. Sanders?"

The examiner shook her head. "I don't really know, I'm sorry. His articles of clothing and any accessories were most likely taken to the police if you want to look."

"That's okay, thank you." He looked back to Sullivan. "That makes the body count up to 10. Foyet's moving quickly in such short time so we need to start moving faster."

The thought dawned upon the police chief too as he nodded. "Yeah and with Hankel, even faster. Let's head back to the station and dig up something else." Then the two thanked the ME and left the building, Reid feeling ill from the horror and dismay that so viciously attacked him.

_Tobias is with Foyet…_helping_ him._

* * *

When Reid and Sullivan got back, the police chief went off to make a call while the young man found JJ working on a computer. He strolled over to her, still numb from his unwanted revelation. "Find anything?"

JJ looked at him and shook her head. "Not yet. I spoke with Elaine Henderson, the daughter, to see if she had something but Sullivan was right, there wasn't anything she could offer."

"Did you check the 9-1-1 call?"

She shook her head again. "No I just got it now and I'm waiting for it to fully download. Was there anything interesting at the ME?"

He hesitated before he nodded. "Yes, the Hendersons were found with their throats slit."

JJ furrowed her brow. "But Foyet doesn't-"

"I know," he curtly cut in. "It was 'Raphael's' doing."

JJ looked alarmed before her soft blue eyes grew sympathetic. "I'm so sorry, Spence."

"Never mind, it's actually not that much of a surprise considering that we're dealing with Foyet. And we sort of knew that from earlier this morning anyways. So you said that you were downloading the 9-1-1 call?"

JJ was crestfallen at the sight of Reid's disguised distress yet chose to let it go for the time being. "Yeah you want to watch it with me or do you have something else to work on?"

He shook his head. "I should listen to this."

The blonde woman bit her lower lip, not wanting to torment Reid more yet eventually relented, starting up the recording.

There was a crackle of static before they heard the calm, regulatory response of _"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"_

There was a moment's hesitation before a voice timidly replied, _"H-hello. I…I'm on 348 S. Evergreen Dr."_

Reid's hazel eyes briefly widened. _Tobias._

_"Sir, I know where you're calling from. What's your emergency?"_

_"These…these people are atheists. They don't believe in God."_

There was a short pause._ "You're calling because these people are atheists?"_

_"Well…yes and no. They are but that's not the point. Raphael and George Foyet are going to kill them. They're going to kill them for-"_

He was suddenly cut off by a loud scream, causing both Reid and JJ to flinch._ "It-it's too late!" _Tobias cried frantically, _"Mr. Foyet's got them! He's going to let Raphael-"_

_"What are you doing?"_ Reid felt his heart abruptly stop with icy cold alarm at the equally chilling, expressionless voice of 'Raphael'.

_"Sir…sir what was that noise?" _The 9-1-1 operator anxiously asked, _"Are you still there?"_

For a moment, neither of them could only hear the muffled sounds of Tobias's voices. 'Raphael' said something and Tobias sharply responded, sounding almost desperate. Then the archangel stated something before clearly saying to the phone, _"Raphael is going to kill the sinners of this home. I suggest no one interferes."_ Then they heard the phone being set down, not hung up, before the sounds of fighting, shouting, and eventually running. The signal cut off, the call was done.

Silence ensued as the profilers absorbed what they heard. Then JJ turned to Reid. "As much as I hate to admit it, I…I guess Tobias is a part of all this."

Reid looked at her with hard eyes. "No, it's _'Raphael'_ who's part of this. You heard him on there, it's just like the last time—Tobias is innocent in all of this."

JJ's eyes filled with sympathy for him but before she could comment, they noticed the rest of the team filing in, appearing grave and melancholy.

Once they gathered, Hotchner looked around. "Good we're all here so we can review our information. Let's start with you, Reid. What did you find from the ME?"

The young profiler avoided his and anyone else's gaze as he replied, "'Raphael' committed the murders; his evidence was apparent. Also Foyet managed to kill a Eugene Sanders and steal his car. Chief Sullivan is looking up the license now."

Hotch nodded and looked to JJ. "Anything from the call?"

She bit her lower lip. "Sort of. It only emphasized what Spence found. Tobias attempted to call for help but was intercepted by 'Raphael', just like the last time…" She glanced at Reid yet he was frowning at the ground, lost in thought.

"So now there's no doubt that Tobias is working with Foyet so that means we need to intensify our efforts in the search." Hotchner looked each of them in the eye, lingering on Reid, before continuing: "Rossi and I didn't find much at the crime scene but Dave raised a good point: 'Raphael' only kills people who he believes to be sinners so Foyet must've manipulated him to murder the Hendersons. Otherwise 'Raphael' would never agree to help him."

"Well Tobias did mention to the 9-1-1 operator that 'Raphael' was going to kill the Hendersons for being atheists," JJ pointed out. "Knowing that, it wouldn't have taken Foyet much to convince 'Raphael' to murder them." Then it was as if someone snapped their fingers in her face because JJ suddenly refocused, her blue orbs sharpening as a thought occurred to her. "But wait that doesn't make any sense—the Hendersons aren't atheists."

The entire team was taken aback by her statement and Hotchner inquired, "What do you mean? How would you know of the Hendersons' religiosity?"

"Because I had spoken to their daughter Elaine earlier. She described her parents as 'good, generous Christian people' and acknowledged that she and her parents went to church every Sunday; they couldn't have been atheists. So Foyet-"

"Must've been lying to Tobias," Morgan finished as the thought crashed him and the other profilers all at once. The realization made them look to one another in shock and Reid couldn't help but feel a small sliver of happiness and relief travel through him like a ray of sunlight breaking through a storm cloud.

Hotchner was the first to break the brief silence as he looked to Rossi. "It's just as we figured, Dave—Foyet is doing everything he can to influence Tobias on his side, lies included. He merely picks out his intended victims as he pleases and feeds Tobias false information just so he can seem justified." Then he addressed the team. "We must keep that in mind in case we happen to come across Hankel. That deduction is our key to unraveling his partnership with Foyet."

Everyone instantly nodded and once again Reid felt that slim ray of hope embrace him, expanding a bit more than before. Hotchner took in everyone's expressions before looking to Prentiss and Morgan. "So were you two able to track Foyet in some way?"

The others didn't miss the way the two profilers' exchanged glances of worry and oncoming dread. "Well we did manage to find the laptop that Foyet used to hack into the records-" Prentiss began.

"And he left us a message," Morgan finished with a grim countenance. "He _wanted _us to find it." Then he pulled out the laptop and set it down on a nearby table. He typed in the password as the others gathered around and then he opened a video file.

A first the screen was dark and then the screen reveals a young blonde woman wearing nothing but a lacy black dress. Her mouth was gagged with scotch tape and her wrists bound on either side of her like a ritualistic sacrifice. The BAU immediately recognized her as Helen Douglas, one of Tobias's previous victims. They watched in horror as a familiar voice, Tobias's, read a passage from the Bible, emphasizing on the woman's infidelity and how her punishment was to be ripped apart by the hounds of Hell. For one moment the woman stops her struggling as she looks at something to the side, hearing angry howls and snarls in the background.

The group looked away once the girl's muffled shrieks was drowned out by the barks of rabid dogs as they dined on her flesh, clawing, tearing, eating it until there was nothing left. JJ couldn't bear the sight and immediately rushed off to the restroom to empty her stomach's contents.

Once there was silence, the BAU looked to see the screen go black. Then words began to appear.

_This is my second favorite video._

* * *

**_Second_ favorite? Oi Foyet...get a life :P**

**Well this was mostly a filler chapter so I'm not sure how bored you guys are. Anyhow, thanks for reading! Hope this was worth the brief wait! :D**


	16. Running in Circles

**Welcome to another chapter of this story! **

**Liliane: Hello! I'm doing well, how are you? I had fun on my vacation, thank you for asking! It's nice to hear from you again; I feel like it's been forever since I've heard from you! :)**

**Hehe, your comments are funny! Yes, Morgan is a bit of a pain right now but...you know, I'd like to say he'll be nicer but then I'd be lying. And Foyet is just ****_so_**** delightful isn't he? Can you just imagine him having a bowl of buttered popcorn as he watches Tobias's videos? What a sadistic nub :P**

**Thanks for your compliments! Have a nice day! :D**

**Warnings: mentions of blood, gore, and violence, spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

Once the screen went dark, video over, no one knew what to say. That image of Helen Douglas burned in their minds just as badly as it did the first time. The horrible sounds, the gruesome images were carved into them like knives on skin and the scars that remained were torn open. Reid, having never seen this video for himself, felt his stomach twist upon witnessing such brutality and was close to rushing to bathroom like JJ and retching; however he made an effort to swallow any bile and took some deep breaths to compose himself.

_This is my second favorite video._

What does that mean?

Wordlessly, Prentiss walked off to the bathroom to presumably console JJ while the others continued staring at the laptop, utterly appalled. Finally Rossi found it in him to speak: "What on earth is Foyet trying to tell us with this?"

Hotchner shook his head dispassionately, his jaw clenched as if to suppress his anger. "Does it matter? He's already told us enough—he has access to these videos despite our efforts to block them."

Reid instantly became alarmed. "Do you…do you think he has all of them?"

Hotch nodded somberly. "We have to assume so. They're probably how Foyet even discovered Tobias—he could've just come across them and then realized his connection to us. With his level of computer knowledge it wouldn't be too hard to get past the firewalls we tried to set up."

Reid's anxiety increased and he nervously chewed his lower lip. In the meantime, Prentiss came back with a slightly ruffled, sunken eyed JJ.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked with concern.

JJ nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah, I just…yeah." Morgan accepted her answer and let her be, knowing fully well what was on her mind. The gore was new to her and he could only imagine how traumatized she was, especially if she considered that _she_ could've been Helen Douglas.

_I had to kill them…they just completely tore her apart, there's nothing even left._

The thought made him shudder.

"So why would Foyet set this up?" Prentiss asked with her brow furrowed. "What kind of a message could he be telling us with this?"

"That's what we were debating just now," Rossi replied. "Personally I believe this is Foyet's way of taunting us…telling us that he has access to information that we don't want him to have."

Prentiss nodded as she processed the hypothesis. "It could be. He could also be saying that he's planning on using this method. From what we know about Foyet he'd enjoy this kind of brutality."

"Or what if he doesn't even have a message," Hotchner brusquely put in. "Maybe Foyet only wants us to know that he enjoys Hankel's videos, perhaps even to emphasize what Hankel is capable of."

Morgan shook his head with distaste. "Whatever his deal he's made it clear that Hankel is his ally. They've caused enough damage so far and they're not gonna stop. We need a strategy to catch them and the best way we can do that is to string together the clues Foyet's left us so far. So what do we have?"

"10 people dead, 3 messages -two addressed to all of us and one specifically for Hotch- 2 separate car-jacks, a kidnapping, and a robbery," Reid easily yet unhappily recited from memory.

Morgan nodded and said, "Alright so we can assume that the robbery means that Foyet wants Hankel to do more videos. But do we know that for a fact and if it is, then are they posted yet?"

"I'll call Garcia to rifle through the Internet and then I'll see if she looked through the security footage for that robbery." JJ pulled out her cell phone and went off to make the call in private.

"I think we should focus on Foyet's messages," Rossi suggested with a thoughtful expression. "If we dig through them a bit I feel that we might find something important. Like this one for instance," he indicated to the laptop, "I sense that there's something more to this than a sadistic taunt. If it were just that then he wouldn't have left that last sentence. Why does he want us to know that this woman's death is his _second _favorite video? What's his first?"

They all mulled over the question and dreaded every possible answer, especially when they took Reid into consideration. After a while Hotch shook his head. "I think Foyet just wants us to squirm. He did say in his first note that he's always watching."

"Yeah but does he mean that literally,figuratively, or both?" Rossi pressed. "After all he could be referring to the Eye of Providence or he could be watching us when we least expect it. He could even be spying on us as we investigate each of his murders or he might have other means."

Reid raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Other means? How else would Foyet have access to our investigation?"

Before Rossi could reply, Morgan suddenly cut in, "Well for one thing he could be watching us through his laptop; if Tobias was able to do it before then Foyet shouldn't have any trouble." Each of their eyes widened in alarm at the though and they all warily glanced at the laptop, eyeing the camera before Prentiss closed it shut.

Exhales of relief were made as Morgan continued: "I hate to admit it but Foyet's got some decent resources on him; he alone is difficult enough to deal with but he's a bigger threat now that Hankel's joined him. And with the knowledge that Tobias has, it'll be harder to uncover the tracks they've covered."

A somber pensive silence hung over them until JJ returned. "Alright so I called Garcia and she made a quick check of the Internet yet didn't find any new videos. She's currently running a more extensive search yet I doubt she'll find anything for the time being."

"Anything from the security footage?" Rossi inquired.

JJ shook her head. "All Garcia found was what we already knew: Foyet and Tobias robbing the electronics store. And there's a lovely scene where Foyet stabs Eugene Sanders." She wrinkled her nose. "According to Garcia, they seem to be heading east now."

Hotchner nodded. "For now it seems that they're travelling by car seeing that they have nowhere to hide. We'll see if we can get more patrol and we'll set up a press conference to warn the city. Hopefully someone might recognize them and call us and we can apprehend them within these next couple of days."

There were collective nods until Prentiss spoke up: "You know I think the reason there aren't any videos yet is because Foyet and Hankel don't have a stationary location. I mean wouldn't they need some space to set up the laptop?"

Reid's hazel orbs sharpened and he instantly inclined his head. "As a matter of fact they would. They would need the proper place to connect their external hard drives and wire up their system so that they can receive Internet access as well as create a way to hide their signal for when we try and track them down. They would need somewhere that's remote and sort of hidden from any possible witnesses yet can receive enough Internet connection to work their computer. The shack near the cemetery provided that sort of access but obviously Foyet and 'Raphael' can't use it without alerting the police so if they're going to create more videos, they'll need somewhere else."

Each agent slowly nodded their head, slightly astonished and mildly put off by how easily Reid mentioned the shack without any discomfort or so much as a flinch. However Rossi briefly coughed and mused, "You're right they'll need a location, a hideout if I may, yet I'm concerned about where they'll go."

"Is there anyone that either Foyet or Tobias can rely on?" Prentiss asked aloud. "I doubt Foyet would but Tobias might. He could know a place or someone that has a place for them."

"Probably," Morgan responded. "But Tobias didn't really have friends until _after_ his incarceration," he pointedly looked at Reid who scowled at him, "so there's no one that comes to mind. And with his old home and that shack guarded, there aren't many places they could stay. They could be anywhere."

"True as that may be," Hotch began, "it still gives us the advantage. Without a place to hide, their options are limited."

JJ nodded in agreement. "Still it would be nice to narrow their position. The only person I can think of that Tobias would turn to is his old sponsor."

Prentiss's dark eyes widened at the notion as she quickly looked to her. "You're right, I completely forgot about him. Do you think he would even help Tobias if the opportunity arises?"

JJ considered the idea before she shrugged. "I doubt it but that doesn't mean that either Foyet or one of Tobias's personalities won't force him to if they came across him. I think it would be a good idea if we talk to him and warn him of the possibility."

Prentiss nodded in correspondence. "Alright, let's head out. We'll see the rest of you later." Then the two left the station, leaving the others to their musing.

Once they were gone, Rossi rubbed his bearded chin. "Well that crosses off one potential option. Do we have any others?"

Everyone quickly ran through a mental list of possibilities until Hotchner shook his head. "Not really. Tobias has never associated with others before."

Though Rossi may not be as acquainted with Tobias's case as the others, his fresh, unbiased perspective made him realize that something was missing and it suddenly gave him an idea. "Hey what about his mother? I've heard about his father but what about a Mrs. Hankel? Where's Tobias's mother?"

Reid's heart pinched as he sadly looked to the floor. "She left Charles Hankel for another man when Tobias was just a kid."

Rossi's eyes filled with sympathy. "Do you know if she's still alive?"

"I'm not sure but she should be," Hotchner replied. "I doubt though that Hankel would seek her help. The two haven't been in touch in years and not once did we hear from her during Hankel's investigation."

"Nevertheless I think we should contact her to have her at least be on the lookout," Morgan said as he pursed his lips.

"I'm on it," Reid instantly offered.

"I'll go with you," Rossi instantly said and then the two went off to come up with a current address.

With only two of them left, Hotchner turned to Morgan. "I guess that leaves us to try and put Foyet's clues together."

Morgan nodded. "Hopefully we can find something that might help us. I hate running in circles like this especially since Foyet obviously isn't just randomly killing about—he has a plan but we just need to figure it out."

Hotchner somberly inclined his head. "Everything he does has a purpose. Alliancing himself with Hankel just adds to the overall threat."

"Especially since Hankel happens to have a grudge against us, more specifically against Reid. It's only a matter of time before Foyet uses that to his advantage."

"Unless he hasn't done so already." Morgan and Hotch exchanged worried glances as they simultaneously looked towards the doorway where Reid just left with Rossi.

At that moment they both realized that they needed to take more steps to ensure Reid's safety. After all, Hankel was bad enough alone but with Foyet, the danger only exponentially increased. And of course with the body count piling up, there was no telling what could happen if Foyet and Hankel were to get their hands on Reid. Their options were vast, unique, and not to mention gruesome; the mere thought of the young man ending up slaughtered violently lurched their stomachs.

They couldn't bear it if Reid became a part of Atlanta's staggering numbers of death.

* * *

Later that evening Reid sat cross-legged on his hotel bed reading a book. His roommate Rossi had long gone to bed and was snoring away. Reid figured he ought to do the same but the thousand fervent thoughts kept him up, plaguing him the numerous questions without answers and the worst-case scenario images that refused to leave him alone.

Granted the day had been busy—there was not one moment when the team wasn't working on something yet unfortunately they didn't get very far with all their hard work. Reid and Rossi had gone to visit Tobias's mother, Martha Hankel now Martha Emerson, but were disappointed to discover that she wasn't home. Neither she nor her new husband, Richard Emerson, were around and a couple of calls to their respective workplaces revealed nothing. It was only until they asked a nearby neighbor of their whereabouts did they discover that the two had gone out of state to visit some relatives.

Reid couldn't help but frown at the thought of Tobias's mom considering other people family rather than her own son. He could remember the rare instances when Tobias had written about his mother in their letters and how Reid could just sense the other man's pain of her departure through mere words. The young profiler felt that he could relate in some way so he offered sympathy as best as he could.

And yet at that moment, he wondered how Tobias would react if he ever found out that his mother remarried.

Anyhow the team opted to try later and returned to the police station to work other angles. Eventually JJ and Prentiss came back and told the group that they had talked with the sponsor and warned him of Tobias and Foyet. Then they all worked until they couldn't think straight and Morgan stated that they should get some rest, that they'll tackle this in the morning.

Reid couldn't agree more.

They split up into the pairs to share hotel rooms and Reid was paired with Rossi like the night before. Normally he would've been paired with Morgan yet his colleague was keener on sharing a room with Hotch instead of him.

Even on night 2 it still stung.

Rossi's exhaustion had him out like a light but Reid couldn't sleep. He attempted to fall asleep dozens of times yet nothing worked.

_Studies show that insomnia is often produced by natural causes such as stress, uncomfortable sleeping conditions, anxiety or excitement from biological factors, turbulent thoughts, or even from a specific sleeping disorder such as restless legs syndrome or PLMD. In some aspects people are even afraid to fall asleep because of their belief in paranormal activities or because night terrors keep them up. Insomnia is linked with mental disorders, hormonal shifts, and withdrawal from psychoactive drugs. One of the most common causes of insomnia is overconsumption of caffeine from drinks like soda or coffee._

Reid unconsciously furrowed his brow at that last factoid. He had been relying on coffee all day to keep his mind awake despite how awful the beverage was at the station.

Boy he wouldn't mind a nice latte from Starbucks.

Reid sighed and set down his book, unable to truly focus on it; the only thing on his mind was Tobias. He was understandably worried about him but knowing for sure that he was with Foyet only increased his anxiety. He didn't want to think about Foyet turning on him and later finding his body on one of their autopsy tables.

Reid shivered and shook his head. _No. As long as 'Raphael' is around committing murders then Foyet has no reason to hurt Tobias._

He hated thinking that way but knew that it was, unfortunately, logical.

Speaking of which, Reid wasn't a fan of 'Raphael' actually teaming up with Foyet and was mildly put off by it—he figured that the archangel wouldn't dream of working with a stranger.

_But if Foyet visited Tobias at the institution then they aren't strangers._

Reid pressed his lips into a thin line and swung his legs over on the side of his bed, burying his head in his hands.

This was so messed up. Foyet shouldn't have set his sights on Tobias and he shouldn't have dragged him into all of this, he doesn't deserve it. Reid could only imagine how Tobias must be feeling and he hoped that he would be able to hold his own or even untangle himself from all of this. It was bad enough that he was forced into helping 'Charles' and 'Raphael' videotape those murders before but he shouldn't have to be caught in the middle of this bloody, murderous deathtrap filled with bodies.

Suddenly Reid's stomach twisted at the new, unsettling discovery from today. Reid was horrified when Morgan and Prentiss brought back Foyet's laptop and showed them that gruesome video of Helen Douglas being ripped apart by dogs.

Foyet's _second_ favorite video.

A shiver electrified down his spine as Reid's stomach churned uncomfortably. The question of which one was his first haunted Reid all day. The young man dreaded the possibility of it being one with _him_ in it. And unfortunately that _was_ a possibility since he most likely has access to _all_ of 'Charles' and 'Raphael's' old videos.

Knowing that Foyet has been watching him getting tortured didn't sit well with him—it made him feel almost ill.

Another tremble shook his core yet Reid forced himself to take a deep breath. _So what if Foyet's seen them—it shouldn't matter anymore. What's done is done._

He unconsciously shook his head and looked out the window, staring at the bright full moon that overlooked the night. He wondered where on earth Foyet and Tobias were heading and only hoped that they'll be tracked down soon.

_Please Tobias…be safe._

* * *

_How am I going to get out of this? _Tobias chewed his lower lip as he paced in front of the stolen car. At the moment he was alone; Foyet had gone to check something out 'real quick' and he couldn't imagine where his father was. On the other hand, judging by the eerie atmosphere shaking his core, Tobias sensed that the archangel was nearby.

The car was hidden amongst some bushes that were several feet away from a small neighborhood within walking distance; the vehicle was far enough so that no one within those homes could spot them in the darkness and the road was currently deserted.

They weren't bound to be seen anytime soon.

Tobias looked out to the neighborhood and wondered what Foyet could possibly be doing. He left over a half an hour ago and still wasn't back. Where could he be and what was he doing?

_Perhaps he's looking for more victims._

Tobias violently flinched and worriedly gazed at those homes, speculating how many innocent families there could be and which one Foyet would choose…

He shook his head and made a small whine from the back of his throat. He was still upset over that couple's death and even more so by his discovery that they weren't atheists after all. No—the woman's necklace with a cross proved otherwise.

It probably bugged him so much because these people were not only wrongfully murdered but that Raphael didn't notice and he was almost positive that Foyet already knew. It sickened him to no end and he had wanted to tell the archangel earlier yet couldn't find the right moment with Foyet around.

The three of them had spent most of the day driving around hunting for sinners, occasionally stopping to grab some food (and surprisingly not being recognized by the drive-thru employees). Foyet had also mentioned that they would need a place to 'set up shop' and had asked Raphael if he knew a place. To Tobias's relief he didn't and replied that he wouldn't 'know of such mundane things'. Foyet had asked him yet Tobias refused to answer him.

Eventually they had stopped late afternoon because Foyet admitted that he was 'beat' and wanted to rest for a while. Raphael was fine with it and soon Foyet had parked their car, hiding it within the woods, before falling asleep in the driver's seat. Then Raphael had unexpectedly disappeared, leaving Tobias alone.

With Foyet snoozing in the car, Tobias thought it would be the best and only time he would have to escape. He had crept silently out of the vehicle and started running through the woods. He knew that the closest town wasn't too far off and if he hurried fast enough, then he might be able to find the police and lead them to Foyet before he realized his departure.

If this was his only chance, he was going to take it.

Tobias had run for some time, zipping past trees and underbrush, and he soon reached a clearing that revealed some buildings. He had felt relief and an overwhelming sense of joy and it pushed him to burst ahead with new speed…

Until he was stopped by a vicious punch to the face.

He had released a yell of surprise as he was knocked to the ground. Tobias had instinctively held his face as he stared up at his unknown attacker.

It was Charles.

His father had glared down at him and demanded where the hell he was going. Tobias had responded with a firm 'none of your business' which had gotten him struck for 'disrespect'. Once he recovered, he had calmly informed Charles that he intended to leave, conveniently omitting his plan to contact the police.

Unfortunately Charles seemed to sense his strategy because he had declared a loud 'no' and that there was no way that he was going to 'back out of this so easily'; he was 'just a much a part of this' as him and Raphael.

He had just been in the middle of lecturing Tobias for 'being weak' and for 'making an embarrassing repeat of the last time' when Tobias had declared that he was to be no part of these unholy crimes; he had attempted to leave again only for Charles to deliver a punch to the jaw and then another to the gut.

Tobias was once again knocked to the ground as Charles spat out how much of a disgrace he was and how pathetic and weak he was. Tobias ignored his words and had actually shoved him aside, attempting to get by but it only served to get Charles angry and the next thing he knew, Tobias was blocking blows that came from every and all directions.

He had tried to evade them but they wouldn't cease. Memories of his childhood attacked him and suddenly he was a little boy again who was being beaten by his father, left wondering what he did to deserve something so cruel.

Eventually Charles had ceased his punches and kicks and had dragged Tobias back over to Foyet's car. Foyet himself was there waiting, surprised when he saw the state of the two: one frazzled, furious man and a weary, bruised younger man. Foyet didn't ask what had happened and had only smirked at Charles as if silently congratulating him.

They had spent the rest of the day 'touring' Atlanta, Foyet and Charles discussing potential strategies, while Tobias was left trying to fix his broken nose and wondering if his jaw was fractured or not.

Tobias lightly touched his jaw, still feeling the bruise from earlier and sighed. _Why does Charles have to ruin everything? Why does he always have to find me? If he hates me so much, why won't he just let me be?_

He released another sigh, lamenting his inability to physically overpower his father when he suddenly sensed a divine force. The air shifted in a supernatural manner and then Raphael was unexpectedly standing next to him, quietly observing their surroundings.

"Where have you been?" Tobias asked.

Raphael looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "That is none of your concern." He then closely scrutinized him. "I take it though that you and your father had one of your usual discussions while I was gone?"

Tobias self-consciously touched his bruised nose. "Unfortunately yes."

"What about?"

"That is none of your concern."

Raphael mildly frowned but dropped it. "Where is Foyet?"

Tobias gestured over to the neighborhood. "He said he wanted to check out something."

Raphael inclined his head in understanding. "He must be doing the Lord's work and finding me some more wretched sinners to dispose of."

Tobias narrowed his eyes. "These people aren't sinners! Everyone sins but that doesn't make them bad people—it makes them human!"

The archangel looked to him with disapproval. "And where did you hear such unrighteousness? From that heathen in the FBI?"

"Spencer is not a heathen and _that_ isn't unrighteous—it's the truth. You're just too stubborn to see it."

Raphael openly glared at him, briefly surprising Tobias, as he retorted, "Raphael shall not be called stubborn. I am doing this ungrateful world a favor by spreading God's message-"

"God wouldn't want you to go around killing innocent people-"

"Those people weren't innocent-"

"Yes they were," Tobias exclaimed in frustration. "They were normal people who led ordinary lives and you and Mr. Foyet took that away from them! They've done nothing wrong-"

"They've broken commandments," Raphael interrupted, appearing the most embittered Tobias has ever seen him. "Foyet has proven their disloyalty to God so they have every reason to die how they did."

"He's lying to you!" Tobias blurted out. "Foyet is lying to your face and you don't even realize it! Ever since we've met him he's been nothing but dishonest! He started off by impersonating a psychiatrist and he's been killing people for fun rather than 'religious duty'! And I can prove it! Remember how Foyet said that the last people you guys had killed were atheists? Well that's a lie! They were Christians and I know because the woman was wearing a necklace with a cross! Foyet still has it with him now! Look at it and see for yourself!"

Tobias immediately took in a breath of air as Raphael stared at him with an expression of pure shock. For a moment neither of them said anything as the archangel blinked and attempted to regain himself. But before he could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of rustling bushes a few feet away from them. Then coming seemingly out of the gloom of the shadows, Foyet emerged from the trees, grinning with delight.

Tobias knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Hey Hankel, I think found something that might interest you. You think you can get Raphael to come around?"

"I'm already here," the archangel said as he quirked an eyebrow.

Foyet sharpened his gaze and grinned malevolently. "Excellent now I don't have to repeat myself. Is Charles around?"

Raphael shook his head. "He's gone—it's just me now." He glanced at Tobias and added, "And Tobias too, unfortunately."

_Yeah unfortunately for me._

Foyet looked at him and smirked. "Your old man ditched _you_ this time, Tobias? How ironic."

Tobias scowled at him while Foyet merely chuckled. "Well that's too bad because I think he'd like this one." He turned back to Raphael. "I've got another job for you if you're interested."

The archangel nodded without hesitation. "Why wouldn't I be interested in serving for Him?"

Foyet's grin widened. "I like the sound of that. So I found a place with more sinners. These people have committed one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony."

Raphael blinked and inquired, "In what form?"

"_Laute_," Foyet answered with ease.

"Eating too expensively," Raphael mused to himself. "And you know this for a fact?"

"Of course I do; I have my ways."

_What kind of ways?_

Raphael didn't bother dwelling on it like Tobias was and merely inclined his head. "Fine by me. Show me where they are."

"Gladly," Foyet remarked as he turned to Tobias. "Oh and Tobias, you're welcome to join us but screw up like the last time and there _will_ be consequences."

Tobias lightly stiffened but responded, "You shouldn't be doing this—it's wrong. You're murdering innocent people."

"How is gluttony innocent?" Raphael questioned with a superior air.

Tobias frowned at him and insisted, "Don't do this—he's lying."

"I highly doubt so—I would've realized it if he was."

Tobias released a groan of frustration while Foyet chuckled. "You think I'm a liar, Tobias? Well that's just hurtful. I would _never_ do such a thing. That's…that's my _least_ favorite thing to do. What do you take me for?"

His smug grin caused Tobias to glare at him. _I take that you're a lying, murderous psychopath!_

Foyet shook his head knowingly and looked to Raphael. "Alright so let's get this show on the road! I know some people who need to die by Raphael's hands."

The archangel nodded in agreement. "Yes they do. Lead the way." The two then began to walk to the car and Tobias had no other choice but to follow along.

As he unwillingly sat in the car, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and felt a thin piece of parchment. His eyes briefly widened as he touched Benjamin's ninja sketch, having briefly forgotten about it. Even without pulling it out he can still see the two warriors battling one another and admired what they stood for: bravery and honor.

_I can't let them get away with this—I _won't _let them get away with this. I refuse to stand back and do nothing! _

Tobias tightened his grip on the picture as a surge of determination heated his being.

_I won't let them win._

* * *

**Yeah you go Tobias! X3**

**Spoiler alert for the next chapter: Tobias is going to put that determination to good use ;)**

**I'd like to apologize for how boring this chapter is but there needs to be a filler chapter at one point so we could understand everyone's standing in the situation: basically the team is stuck, Reid's worried, and Tobias is anxious yet persevering. But don't worry, the next chapter will be ****_much_**** more interesting and everything will be a bit riveting from then on.**

**Stick around for more! :D**

**P.S Tobias's mom isn't dead, right? I mean they never talk about her on the show so I don't know her status or even her _name_ for that matter. If she is dead, then pretend that she's not just for the sake of this fanfiction :)**


	17. Defying Fate

**This chapter is a personal favorite of mine! Hope it's yours too ;)**

**I'd like to give an enormous bundle of thanks to Ms. Reid, ebonypol, People Person I'm Not, zeldawolf2000, and Liliane for your amazingly wonderful comments and to all your readers for your fantastic support! It makes me smile! :)**

**Liliane: OMG YOU'RE A BRO! X3 I love Pewdiepie (in case you haven't gathered)! He's super hilarious, especially when it comes to his videos on Happy Wheels and Amnesia! But if you're a barrel in disguise, then I must ask you to leave my story's presence XD**

**...I am speechless and wearing a huge grin on my face! Thank you so much for your compliments as well as your reassurances about the last chapter! It really made my day and I'm feeling pretty awesome right now! You rock (even if you are a barrel)! Take care sis! :D**

**Warnings: some blood, language, violence, spoilers to season 2 "Revelations"**

**By the way for those who don't know, gluttony is overconsumption or overindulgence of anything to a point of waste. ****_Laute_****, specifically, is eating too expensively. Does anyone think Foyet might be lying again? ;)**

* * *

The moon casted a pale shadow across the neighborhood, illuminating the various trees and home structures as they drove up. Once the car was parked, Foyet and Raphael simultaneously got out and headed for a lone house somewhat set apart from the others. After taking a moment to stiffen his resolve, Tobias accompanied them.

They all quietly treaded along the whispering, ethereal grass and went towards the front entrance. Tobias quickly glanced around and noted that the other houses were dark as their residents slept soundly through the night, oblivious to the loud, resounding immorality nearby. He then suddenly stumbled, having nearly tripped over something. Once he caught his balance, he looked to the ground and noticed a plush football thrown carelessly on the floor.

Tobias furrowed his brow upon closer inspection. _Is that a toy?_

However his focus was soon snatched away when he heard the sound of a lock being broken. He snapped his head to the side and noticed that Foyet had broken through the front door and was entering. Panic beginning to engulf his system, Tobias immediately rushed into the house.

Once inside, Tobias found Foyet setting himself up with the mask and camera while Raphael was observing the interior with interest. Tobias looked around the house and took in the environment: the furniture appeared soft and comfortable, there were framed, smiling pictures hanging on the walls or placed on desks and stands, and there was just about anything a household should own from a TV to a shelf of books to plush couches.

But what really stood out to Tobias were the numerous toys scattered about the area—they were on the floor, on the furniture, in front of the TV…

Tobias's eyes widened in realization. _Oh no, they have a child!_

"Alright Raphael so here's the deal." Tobias looked to Foyet as he spoke. "I'm gonna set up the camera so I can get in on the action. You fine with that?"

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "If you wish. I don't need the assistance though."

Foyet lightly chuckled as if the archangel had said something funny. "Well this is more for my benefit if anything—you know, to get on the big guy's good graces." He gestured up to the heavens. "Anyways, so these folks have a kid so I was thinking you can drag the brat out here while I handle the parents. That way they can _all_ be in front of the camera." He patted the device appreciatively while Raphael nodded.

_He's…he's planning on killing a child?! _

"That sounds acceptable to me," Raphael said as he glanced down a dark hallway.

_He's not going to object to this?! No…he can't be okay with this! It's a child!_

Foyet nodded. "Alright get to it." Then he silently crept into the hallway as the shadowed nighttime darkness cloaked him like an old friend. Raphael merely turned on his heel and started heading in the other direction. Alarm and panic linked like chains within Tobias as he hurried after him.

"Raphael!" he urgently whispered, "you can't do this! It's a child! Children are pure, innocent souls, gifts of God! You can't hurt them!"

The archangel briefly glanced at him, undaunted. "Not all children are innocent, especially if they've performed gluttonous acts. This child is no exception."

Tobias shook his head. "No! I can't and won't let you do this!"

"You can't stop me from doing God's will-"

"This isn't God's will and I'd still stop you if it was! You're not doing this! I won't let you!" And with that, Tobias shoved past him and rushed to the kid's room. Soon he arrived outside of a shut door that had pictures of a rocket and other doodles. Tobias quickly looked to the side and noticed that the archangel was nowhere in sight.

_If he's gone to warn Foyet then that means I have to work fast._

Tobias swiftly grabbed the doorknob, twisted it, and opened the door, letting himself in. Once he was in and shut the door behind him, Tobias turned around and noticed the messy area that could only belong to a child. The wallpaper was a dark blue with stars and there were dozens of toys and sports balls laying listlessly about the floor. Towards the back of the room was a lone bed with blue sheets and bundled within those sheets was a small figure sleeping soundly. Tobias took note of the tousled brown locks peeking from underneath the blankets and tiny arms encased around a stuffed dinosaur.

It was a little boy.

The child seemed no more than four as he peacefully slept in his bed, dreaming of wondrous things that put an active kid's mind at rest and chase away the dark realities beyond the bedroom. Tobias couldn't help but take a brief moment to admire the boy's sleeping state, finding his undisturbed countenance to be a refreshing view from all the violence he's been faced with recently.

However, he was forced to refocus on the task at hand when he suddenly heard the distinct sounds of panicked voices followed by struggling. Then a muffled scream was cut off. Tobias winced yet shook his head.

_I can't let either Raphael or Foyet get away with this—they won't hurt this little boy._

Then the boy unexpectedly took that moment to wake up, the noises obviously disturbing the sandman's visit for the evening. He slowly got up and blinked sleepily, yawning and fisting his hands to rub his eyes. Once his vision focused, his eyes widened at the sight of Tobias just standing at his door, staring at him.

For a moment neither of them did anything, Tobias's light brown eyes looking into the biggest brown eyes he's ever seen—eyes full of fear, mistrust, and dread.

_Terrified hazel orbs were the first things he felt once he entered that cabin for the first time._

_Tobias hadn't been there since the stranger's abduction and had allowed his father and Raphael to take control of the situation. But he figured that demon or not, the young man needed to eat something so he took the liberty of slaughtering a lamb for him._

_When he walked in, he immediately sensed the captive demon staring at him but he didn't look at him until he had shut the door behind him. When he turned around, he was met with a slightly hunched over young man, a kid really, strapped to a chair and looking at him fearfully._

_Tobias did his best to look nonthreatening despite the butchered animal in his hands and the blood on his gloves. "You need to eat."_

_The kid looked at him for a moment before tentatively asking, "What's your name?"_

_Startled by the amount of fear he was faced with a _demon_, Tobias hesitated and took a moment to put down the lamb and remove the gloves before responding, "Tobias."_

_The kid almost seemed relieved by his answer as he blinked a couple of times as if to wrap his mind around it. "Tobias…" He appeared to choose this next question carefully. "Who was here before?"_

_Then understanding dawned on Tobias as he immediately recognized the trepidation that he himself was familiar with. "It's probably my father." His gaze wanders and halts on the stranger's left foot: not only was it stripped of both a sock and shoe but it was severely bruised from what appeared to be horrible abuse._

_It would seem that his father has already made an impression._

_And yet Tobias couldn't help but feel the guilt and sympathy that swelled in his chest. "I'm sorry if he hurt you." Though he knew he shouldn't feel remorse for the kid, Tobias genuinely meant his apology. He himself has always been on the other end of his father's wrath so he knew how much it hurt, physically and psychologically._

_For some reason at that moment Tobias was overwhelmed with this sudden urge to help the kid in any way he could. So without thinking, he started making his way over to the stranger, removing his belt as he did._

_"What are you doing?" the kid asked hurriedly, apprehension coating the question._

_However Tobias didn't reply as he wrapped the belt tightly around the chair, around the kid, and isolated his right arm, tightly tying it._

_The kid instantly grew alarmed as he stuttered, "N-no. Don't…please don't…" That last plea was desperately whispered as he began to struggle, shaking, while soft whimpers left his lips._

_Once Tobias secured the belt like a tourniquet, he gently looked to the kid. "It helps."_

_That didn't reassure the young man as he began trembling with fear, his hazel orbs looking down and locking on the vile and needle Tobias pulls out from his jacket._

_"Don't tell my father," Tobias said as he started preparing the needle and filling up the serum. "He doesn't know they're here."_

_As he fills the needle with Dilaudid, he hears the kid shudder and whimper again and he's well aware that the shaking has worsened. "Please, I don't want it I don't want it, please-"_

_"Trust me," Tobias gently cuts off his hasty, despairing begging and tried to ignore the welling of tears he sees in the kid's eyes. "I know," he softly adds in empathy._

_"Please don't-"the kid tried one last time, uttering another shuddered whimper before Tobias injected him out of pity. He watched as the young man's eyes widened in horrified realization before they and the rest of features relaxed and his orbs rolled back behind his head._

_It was only until he knew the kid was conked out did Tobias release a breath. He did it—he helped the supposed demon. He knew that he wasn't supposed to—Father would be angry if he knew._

_But he didn't care._

_Tobias saw that the kid was just as petrified and abused as he has been basically every day of his life, how he's _always_ been. He's suffered nearly thirty years of his father's insults, fists, and blows and he couldn't help but feel bad that this kid was given a taste and that there was only more to come._

_In a moment of weakness he empathized with the demon and had given him his only chance of escape. He had planned on using it later but felt that the kid needed it more. After all, Tobias knew that he could always get more but this kid could use it now, especially if his father and the archangel were going to be involved. It was only a matter of time before they passed judgment based on his sins and killed him._

_So why should he care? Why should Tobias give a complete stranger, a demon at that, his limited chance of numbing paradise?_

_He wasn't sure. All Tobias knew was that this sudden sympathy for the demon wasn't holy or natural and that he would surely be punished for it._

_And yet recalling those wide, frightened eyes, Tobias couldn't help but begin to doubt the morality of it all. What if this kid wasn't a demon? What if his father and Raphael were wrong?_

_If that were the case, then maybe it wouldn't be so wrong to help this kid once in a while…at least until his fate was decided._

_So from then on, Tobias vowed to give the kid an escape from the harsh, painful reality before him._

_Because he'll be damned if he was just going to sit back and do nothing; it was time that he took matters into his own hands, even if he played only a small role._

Tobias blinked and nearly took an instinctive step back. The boy gasped and whimpered at the stranger in his room and Tobias internally winced with shame. "It-it's okay," he tried timidly, "I won't hurt you."

The child stared at him through enormous eyes that seemed to grow bigger and moister when a sudden crash shattered any futile remains of the quiet, peaceful night. The boy instantly looked past him as if the closed door will give him answers. "Mommy? Daddy?" Unfortunately he received those answers when a woman's scream was heard, only to be cut off by what sounded like a loud slap.

The boy's eyes welled with tears as he began to shake. "Mommy! Daddy!" He kicked off the covers and made a move to get out of bed only to seemingly remember Tobias as he froze and looked fearfully back up at him. Tobias felt distress seep into his core at the sight of his fear. _You have nothing to be afraid of—I'm not like them._

For a moment neither of them moved, the boy breathlessly waiting for Tobias to make the first move. Knowing fully well that time was running out, Tobias put in his best effort to look trustworthy and non-intimidating.

"Hey," he said softly. "It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help."

The kid briefly looked back at his door before glancing at him warily, his lower lip trembling. "Where's mommy and daddy?"

Tobias felt his stomach twist around his heart like thorns capturing a rose at the pleading tone in the child's voice. He didn't know what to say, he's never dealt with children before.

"I…" he struggled for a proper answer, "I don't know."

A small, horrified whine slipped past the boy's lips as he tightly squeezed his plush dinosaur, tears building up behind eyelashes.

_Oh no, I can't have him crying! Foyet will hear him!_

"No, no it's okay," he tried to placate, "it's alright, please don't cry. Look." Without thinking he pulled out Benjamin's picture and showed it to him. "Look. I have a picture of some warriors and a dragon. Look how cool they are."

The boy sniffled and looked at him in confusion before turning his attention to the picture. The tears shimmering in his eyes gradually faded as he looked at the sketch with slowly rising awe and intrigue. He progressively relaxed as Tobias carefully moved a bit closer. "See look—both of them have different swords. They're brave warriors." Tobias held it out for him to take as a sign of trust.

The boy's eyes curiously looked at the picture as he tentatively reached out and lightly grasped it. He glanced it over, marveling at the fine details, before looking at him. "Warriors?"

Tobias gently smiled and nodded. "Yeah that's right, warriors. Do you know what warriors are?"

When the child shook his head, Tobias continued: "Warriors are brave people who fight for good and defeat evil. They're like superheroes except they don't have superpowers."

The boy looked at it in amazement. "No superpowers? Wow."

Tobias smiled a bit wider at the boy's wonder but then it fell once he heard Foyet's voice growling somewhere within the house and soft sobbing amongst it. "Would you like to be a warrior too?"

The boy looked up at him and thought about it before nodding. "Good, because your parents need your help—they…they need you to be a warrior." _What am I saying?_ "Do you think you can do that for me?"

The child hastily nodded. "I wanna help mommy and daddy."

"Good, because there's a bad man here who has your parents. Now they need your help but you need to be brave like these warriors." He pointed to the ninjas. "Can you be brave?"

The boy looked uncertain but nevertheless nodded. "Okay, so what I need you to do is follow me. C'mon." He gestured towards the door and after a moment's hesitation, the boy hopped off the bed with dinosaur and picture in hand and followed Tobias out the door.

Tobias looked out into the hallway and was met with dark, foreboding shadows. In the direction of the living room he heard Foyet murmuring something to his victims, probably threats, and vied to go the other way. He looked down at the boy and put a finger to his lips. Once the child nodded, Tobias quickly yet quietly started walking in the opposite direction with the boy at his heels.

They soon reached an adjoining hallway and Tobias immediately noticed a door leading out to the backyard. A spontaneous burst of joy surged through Tobias as he hurriedly went towards it. He silently opened it and signaled for the boy to go outside. The child looked at him, as if debating to trust him, before scurrying out.

Tobias swiftly followed him out, closed the door behind him, and then faced a lawn engulfed by the darkness of the night. He quickly looked around and noticed the wooden fence surrounding the area from the neighboring homes.

He rushed over to one side and glanced over. Then he turned to the boy and softly instructed, "Okay, so if you want to help your mom and dad, then you need to go to your neighbor's home and tell your neighbor that a bad man is in your home. Got it?"

The boy's gaze shifted from place to place, lingering on his home and his neighbor's yard before turning back to him. He couldn't seem to answer as he trembled with fear. Tobias's heart filled with sympathy. "It's okay, you'll be alright and I'll make sure your parents are alright too. But I'm gonna need some help—I need a warrior's help. Can I count on you?"

The child looked up at him with innocent, searching eyes before he nodded. "I save mommy and daddy."

Tobias inclined his head. "Yes you will, we both will, but you need to find your neighbor—they'll know what to do." The little boy nodded, his uncertainty transforming into determination. Nodding to himself, Tobias reached down, picked up the boy, and raised him over the fence. He gently plopped him down on the grass and the child quickly ran over to the back door of the other home. He looked back over to Tobias who nodded at him.

That was all the boy needed to start banging on the door of the other home.

_Good, now he can get help. Hopefully we're not too late. _

Satisfied, Tobias turned back to the house, intent on stalling Foyet until the boy can get his neighbor to alert the police. Just as he reached for the door handle, a figure suddenly blocked his way. "Going somewhere boy?"

Tobias flinched but then groaned. "Not now, Charles." He attempted to go around him only to be met with a backhand to the face.

"Don't talk to me that way, boy, you show me respect! I am your father and you will call me such! You don't have the authority to address me on a first name basis! We're not equals!"

Tobias rubbed his jaw out of irritation rather than pain. "You're right, we're not equals—I consider myself a better man than you are." He carefully avoided the blow aimed at him by calmly taking a step back.

Charles glared at him with a murderous expression. "Don't even try and spew out lies! I am superior to you and I will always be stronger than you! _I am better than you!_"

Tobias merely shook his head and he attempted to inch towards the door, anxious to get to those poor people. "Believe what you like if it makes you feel better."

He couldn't avoid the next swipe across his face or the vicious punch to the kidney. Tobias doubled over gasping for breath as Charles loomed over him. "You damned son of a bitch! What gives you the right to talk to me like that?! Where do you get the gall to defy me?!"

Tobias steadied his breathing before squarely looking at him. "You should've seen this coming from the way you treat me, from how you've _always_ treated me." He attempted to straighten up only for Charles to punch him in the gut.

Tobias made a choking noise as he clutched his stomach but backpedalled before Charles could land another blow. "If you hadn't been so damned weak then I wouldn't have had to discipline you!" Charles snarled with rage, "You've always been a blubbering, fucking little wuss and I couldn't stand living with you! You should be damn lucky that I tried teaching you to become a man, a true Christian man even if it didn't work."

The younger man looked incredulously at him before slowly standing upright. "Lucky? I'm not lucky to have you as my father if _that's_ what you're implying. You've done me wrong since I could remember and you singlehandedly ruined my life. And you're _still_ trying to now. How am I lucky?"

Charles glared at him but anything he was about to say was cut off when Tobias stated, "I don't have time for this. I need to stop Foyet and Raphael!" Tobias rapidly went around him but just as his hand touched the doorknob, his shoulders were suddenly grabbed and he was roughly hauled back and thrown to the ground.

A surprised yell escaped him as he unceremoniously sprawled on the grass and his face twisted in pain before he looked up, only for his head to snap back as a shoe-covered foot kicked him in the nose. A soft buzz entered his ear drums and he was distinctly aware of something snapping between his eyes and a sharp pain that followed. Something warm trickled down his nose and past his lips and upon lightly touching he discovered a familiar red liquid staining his fingers.

Then he was suddenly grabbed by the front of his shirt and hauled up to face a vicious frown that would intimidate the Devil himself. "You will leave them be to do the Lord's work! I won't have you disrupting my message!" A loud slap resounded and Tobias barely aware of the stinging of his cheek. "You won't interfere! I'll make sure of it even if I have to break your arms and legs!"

Another slap unleashed something that boiled over from within Tobias. "Stop hitting me!" Then he wrenched himself free and shoved Charles hard enough to slam into the house.

He gasped as a loud THUMP! shattered the night followed by his father's guttural groan, appalled by what he had done. _I…I didn't just do that, did I?_

Charles took a moment to collect himself before venomously flaring with outrage. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" He charged at Tobias who yelped and ducked under his strikes. Charles turned around and lunged at him and managed to cuff him over the head. Tobias flinched back but quickly managed to evade another oncoming blow and he dashed over to the door.

Just as he reached out to the handle, the door suddenly flung open and Foyet stepped out, looking agitated. He scowled at the two before growling, "What the hell are you doing back here?! I told you to nab the kid!"

Foyet took a step forward and Tobias recoiled back, suddenly trapped between him and his father. Unfortunately Charles took that moment to answer: "My weakling son was just trying to stop you. I was in the middle of teaching him a lesson."

Foyet looked confused before his sharp, demonic gaze settled dangerously on him. "Trying to stop me again, Tobias? I thought I warned you of what would happen if you crossed me."

He stalked closer and Tobias shrunk back. Foyet assessed him for a moment before snarling out of the blue, "What did you do?"

"N-nothing," Tobias stuttered.

"Where's the kid?" Foyet demanded, suddenly seeming to catch on.

Tobias's eyes widened despite his conscious attempt to keep a straight face. "I…" He fervently questioned whether or not he should lie and feign ignorance but he wasn't given the option when Foyet abruptly grabbed him and shoved him against the backyard's lone, gnarled tree. Tobias took a split second to register the rough hand fisting his shirt, a sharp elbow pressing him against the trunk before he could think of struggling. However Foyet used his free hand to grab his switchblade and press it to his face. Tobias's breathing hitched as he constrained himself to still.

Foyet glared at him through his mask. "What did you do with the kid?"

Tobias's breathing was distorted and uneven yet he managed to answer, "Does it matter? He's not here."

He winced as the knife pressed firmer until there was a bit of blood. "Then where is he?"

Tobias attempted to shake his head but the knife forced him to stop. "You let the brat go, didn't you?" Tobias didn't bother answering. "How long has it been?" Again Tobias kept his mouth shut as he stared unblinkingly back at the eyes that bore into his being and set it on fire.

Foyet seemed to gather a conclusion from his silence and uttered a deep growl. "You son of a bitch! I told you to not meddle with me!"

Tobias frowned and demanded, "What did you do to the boy's parents? Have you killed them?"

Foyet narrowed his eyes. "Not yet but I'm gonna!" He suddenly released him and started storming towards the house.

Tobias gasped and immediately went after him. "No!" Foyet ignored him and charged back into the house, heading for the living room. Upon arriving, Tobias took in with shock at the pair of people tied tightly to two chairs, gagged. They looked at Foyet and him fearfully as Foyet pulled out his gun and aimed it at them. The woman shrieked behind her gag while the man flinched and tensed.

"No, don't!" Tobias quickly stepped in front of them like a shield. Foyet glowered at him before snapping his hand to pistol-whip him across the head. Two different cries were heard as Tobias was knocked to the ground, one from himself and the other from the woman.

Tobias clutched his head and looked at Foyet who once again had his gun pointed at the couple. But just as he was about to pull the trigger, they all heard the sound of sirens faintly blaring from outside, rapidly drawing near. Foyet's eyes snapped up to look out at the distance before he looked back at the couple, seeming conflicted and frustrated. Tobias could tell that he _really_ wanted to murder these people, but he couldn't with the cops so close by…

He took a moment to feel a small sense of victory until Foyet released a noise of unrestrained anger. "FUCK!" He rounded on Tobias. "Look what you've fucking done!" Then he quickly shoved the gun into his pocket, snatched the camera off of its stand, and grabbed Tobias by the arm, dragging him off the floor and out the door. Tobias gasped and attempted to pull away but Foyet's anger seemed to strengthen his grip.

They entered the front lawn and rushed across the grass, stimulated by the sirens that progressively grew closer. When they reached the car, Foyet instantly flung the passenger seat open, shoved Tobias in, and then stalked over to the driver's seat once he slammed the door. Tobias's head knocked into the headrest and the next thing he knew, the car was racing off away from the police cars, away from the house, away from the neighborhood.

Away from that family.

He looked back and noticed cop vehicles speeding across the road and screeching to a halt in front of the house. They didn't seem to perceive the retreating car since no one went after them yet it wasn't completely discouraging—the family was still alive. Despite himself, Tobias smiled with relief.

_They're safe._

But even through his solace, Tobias sensed more than saw Foyet's outraged fury—it wrapped around him like lava spewing out of a volcano and getting close would result in serious burns. Tobias took a sideways glance at him and internally cringed at how Foyet's blood seemed to have drained from his tightly clenched knuckles and took residence into his face, particularly around the temples. His jaw was clenched and his eyes transformed into a permanent glare.

_He's gonna kill me._

Tobias grew tense and frightened and contemplated if he should jump out of the car or not. But Foyet indirectly prevented him by flooring the gas pedal so that the car practically broke speed itself. Tobias dug his nails into the car seat and refused to say a word, praying to God that he'll either be spared or that his death will be quick.

They drove for a while until Foyet unexpectedly slammed his foot on the brake. Tobias cried out as he was sent crashing forward into the thick-glassed window and then thrown back into his seat.

He moaned as pain enveloped his head and stifled his senses, making him barely aware of Foyet exiting the car and making his way around the hood. Before he knew it, Foyet ripped off his mask and yanked the car door open. Then he was suddenly grabbed and flung out of the car. Tobias only had time to groan as his body hit the ground before he was facing the muzzle of a gun.

The weapon's dangerous glare matched Foyet's as his blazing eyes penetrated into him. Tobias shrank back as Foyet growled, "You fucked things up! You completely screwed me over! How fucking _dare_ you pull shit like that!"

He undid the safety catch of his gun and Tobias flinched. "I ought to kill you right here, right now; anyone who's ever tried to get in my way have ended up in their fucking graves! Why the hell should you be any different?!"

Tobias's breathing formed into labored staccatos as he stared at the gun. There was no way out of this; he was alone. Even Charles seemed to have abandoned him to his fate, a bloody, merciless fate.

Foyet's finger twitched and squeezed the trigger.

Tobias's last thought as the shot rang out was that the little boy still had Ben's picture.

_I hope he takes care of it._

* * *

**...So yeah...that happened.**

**Hope you all come back for the next chapter! It's a doozy! ;D**

**Thanks for reading! Have a pleasant day! :D**


	18. In Need of Some Restraint

**Liliane: Hey! It's great to hear from you again; it's always nice! :)**

**Haha I never thought of it that way, only Irresponsible Dad is funnier and cooler than Charles. Imagine him trying to say "I DON'T CAAAARE!" with his growly Southern accent X3**

**Aw I'm honored you think so! Yeah I'm not cool with killing off kids either and you're right to be curious but things will be a cleared up a smidge once you read this...**

**I'll admit I'm a bit shy too. I'm the type you have to approach first before I can start talking to people :) Take care!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains some content that might not be suitable to sensitive readers. I'm completely serious: reader discretion is advised.**

**Warnings: language, violence, mentions of drugs and alcohol, disturbing images and content, spoilers to season 2 "The Big Game" and "Revelations"**

* * *

The shrill sound of a cell phone awakened Reid much too early to his liking. He irritably screwed his eyes tighter as he listened to Rossi answer the phone.

"Yeah Hotch…What happened?…What?!…But how is that-…alright we'll be right there." Rossi snapped his phone and grimly looked at Reid who by now had reluctantly opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked tiredly.

Reid became wary of the troubled expression on the older profiler's face as well as the grave, edgy tone in his voice. "There was another attack by Foyet and Tobias."

Almost instantly Reid shot up from the bed, suddenly wide awake and completely alert. "Already?!"

Rossi nodded, his bearded jaw tightening as he dismally responded, "It would seem so. But the strange thing is that these people survived. I mean that's great news and all but it doesn't sound like Foyet or Tobias."

Reid blinked, shocked, before he shook his head. "No it doesn't. We need to get to the station with the others." Rossi inclined his head and the two quickly dressed and freshened up to prepare to work this interesting yet somewhat disturbing new angle.

* * *

"Austin and Kimberly Ruiz were attacked late last night/early this morning by George Foyet and Tobias Hankel." A little while later the entire BAU team stood in the room of the police station and was listening to Chief Sullivan's reports.

"According to their neighbors the Johnsons, the Ruizes's four year old son, Ryan, had alerted them of men in his house and were interpreted to be burglars. The neighbors called 9-1-1 and we arrived on the scene; we found the Ruizes tied up to some chairs mildly injured. From their descriptions of the 'burglars', we discovered that it was Foyet and Hankel. At first we thought that they didn't have time to kill the Ruizes but our theory goes a bit awry once we got their account."

Each of the profilers furrowed their brows once they processed the information, finding themselves utterly stunned by that last part. "How so?" Hotchner asked.

"Well the Ruizes stated that one of the men whose description fits Hankel had stopped the other man, Foyet, from shooting them and then Ryan Ruiz claimed that that same man, Hankel again, had taken him to the Johnsons' house to get help."

The FBI agents all made different expressions of shock and utter befuddlement as they took that in, unable to comprehend it let alone believe it. The first one to compose himself, Morgan skeptically inquired, "_Hankel_ saved them? Are you sure?"

"Completely," Sullivan earnestly replied. "We brought the Ruizes here once the paramedics looked at them so you can talk to them and get the full scoop."

Hotchner slowly and pensively nodded, this reflective on this unusual situation. "I think we'll do that." Then he looked to Morgan and suggested, "Why don't you and I check out the crime scene while the others speak with the Ruizes."

"Sounds like a plan," Morgan agreed before turning to the others. "We'll separate the Ruizes to get their individual accounts. Rossi, you talk with Austin Ruiz; Prentiss, Kimberly Ruiz; and JJ, Reid, talk to the kid." They all nodded and dispersed to perform their independent tasks. One way or another, they planned on getting to the bottom of this.

* * *

"Hello, I'm SSA Rossi—I'm with the FBI." Rossi sat down and faced an ordinary man with brown hair who nodded to him. "I understand that you and your family were attacked last night."

Austin Ruiz nodded again, his bronze orbs briefly flashing at the reminder. "Two men broke into our house and held my wife and I hostage. They ambushed us while we were asleep."

Rossi's expression briefly darkened as he inclined his head. "Do you think you can relate everything that happened?"

"Yeah I can. So like I said, Kimberly and I were asleep and the next thing I knew, Kim was screaming and it woke me up. Then I noticed a guy in a mask holding her by the neck and a gun to her head. I had said:

_"Please don't hurt her." Austin looked fearfully between the man and his wife. "We have some money and some jewelry which I'll gladly give you—there doesn't need to be any trouble."_

_The man's eyes gleamed behind the mask. "Oh I'm not interested in any of _that_, but thanks for the offer." Austin shivered at the mocking tone as well as the implications behind it._

_When Austin didn't say anything or ask for an elaboration, the masked man shook his head. "No I'm interested in something else. Get up—both of you." Having no other choice, Austin threw his wife what he hoped was a reassuring glance before he slowly got up. Kimberly apparently received and understood his gaze because she too rose up from the bed._

_"Good," the man growled with satisfaction. "Now head for the living room." Austin hesitated before slowly making his way out the bedroom door, desperately trying to think of way to protect Kim and Ryan._

* * *

Meanwhile, Kimberly Ruiz was sitting in a chair across from Prentiss, biting her lip nervously as she wrung the cloth on her dress, somewhat unwilling to proceed with her account. Prentiss looked at her sympathetically before saying, "You don't have to tell me everything now; I can wait until you're ready."

However, the woman shook her head and quietly murmured, "No, I'm okay. Just…give me a moment." Prentiss nodded and waited until she composed herself.

After a few seconds, Mrs. Ruiz took a deep breath and continued: "He demanded that Austin and I head for the living room. I was so scared…for myself and for him but mostly I was afraid for Ryan."

_Kimberly sniffled as Foyet yanked her up and marched her behind her husband and into the hallway. She wanted to pull away from the steel grip on the back of her neck but the metal gun pressing into her temple warned her against any struggles. She briefly glanced over at Ryan's room and begged that this man wouldn't dare touch her son._

_Soon they reached the living room and the man barked, "Alright Mr. Husband grab those chairs and place them in front of that camera."_

_Camera? Kimberly then took notice of the recording device in the room, resting idly on a stand. Her heart cowered within her chest at the numerous, heinous possibilities that this man had in mind for them. Her husband seemed to be thinking the same thing because he hesitated._

_The man tightened his grip on Kim, causing her to visibly wince. "Hurry up or I'll start shooting." Austin was conflicted for another second before he reluctantly grabbed some dining room chairs and placed them where the man wanted._

_Then the intruder suddenly shoved Kimberly forward and she stumbled into Austin's arms. Their confusion was melted into a pool of dread when the stranger commanded, "Time for your part, Mrs. Wife: tie your husband up to one of the chairs. Do it good, make sure he can't escape. If you don't then there will be consequences, namely for your kid."_

_If Kimberly was terrified before then what she felt was mortal horror. And as if to amp up that fear, the man adds, "I have a partner who's handling your kid now. All I have to do is say the word and my colleague will snap his neck, easy as that. So are we going to have problems?"_

_Kim's breathing refused to steady and she couldn't help the tears that flowed down her cheeks. But when her husband lightly touched her hand and gave her a small nod, she reluctantly accepted a coil of rope from the man and tied up her husband with shaky fingers. Then it wasn't too hard for the man to grab her and tie her to the other chair. By then she was sobbing hysterically, desperate pleas falling from her lips and the man demanded that she shut up or Ryan would pay for it. She couldn't help but release a scream before the man harshly slapped her._

Mrs. Ruiz unconsciously held her cheek before shaking her head. "After I had calmed down, he went on to explain how he was going to kill us; he detailed how he was going to stab us to death as well as slit our throats." She shuddered and paled at the memory. "But the worst part was that he said that once his partner brought Ryan, then he'll kill him in front of us just before he finished us off. I…I was so scared. I thought we were all going to die!" Her breathing became shallow and labored and she appeared to be on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Ma'am, it's okay, it's alright," Prentiss began speaking calmly, soothingly therapeutic. "You're all safe now. That man can't and won't hurt you or your family."

She repeated statements similar to these until Mrs. Ruiz regained psychological control. "I'm sorry."

Prentiss lightly smiled at her, the raven-haired woman's countenance softening. "It's okay, there's no need to apologize. We don't have to continue if you'd rather not."

But the woman shook her head. "No—I want you to find this man."

Mrs. Ruiz quickly cleared her throat and resumed: "So he threatened us for a while but I can tell that he was getting impatient and even I was wondering what was taking his partner so long; I was afraid that maybe his accomplice was…a pedophile." She shuddered at the mere thought, her eyes widening once the haunting of her former dread returned.

"Eventually though the man went to go check on him. I'm not sure what happened but when he finally came back with another man that I assumed was his accomplice. He seemed furious and his friend seemed scared. Ryan wasn't with them but he planned on killing us anyways. He pointed a gun at us but his friend blocked him before he could shoot. He had gotten angry and…he hit his partner with the gun. Then we heard police sirens and the man grabbed his colleague and left. I'm not sure why because…because he had plenty of time to k-kill us. The police came and rescued us and we were reunited with Ryan. He told us that a man had helped him and it sounded like the man's partner. He…saved him and protected Austin and I. I know it sounds strange but that's the truth. We all…would've been dead if it hadn't have been for him."

Prentiss nodded as an indication of her understanding while her mind tried to think through her utter befuddlement. It was hard for her to believe that Tobias had actually defended these people and prevented Foyet from murdering them.

What compelled him to do something like this?

Though Prentiss was well aware that Tobias himself was (supposedly) humane and a non-too-willing accomplice in all of this (or so she assumes and what Reid keeps emphasizing), it still stunned her that he had actually stopped Foyet and possibly his dominant personalities from taking more lives tonight. Considering that he's never been able to do so before, it was arguably an incredible feat.

The only question that remained was why now? Where had this sudden fortitude come from?

* * *

"Hi sweetheart, I'm JJ and this is Spencer. We'd like to talk to you." JJ smiled at the small boy sitting on a plastic chair and hugging a stuffed dinosaur.

He looked up at them and blinked, not saying a word. "You're Ryan, right?" Puzzled that these strangers knew his name, the boy nodded. "What's the name of your dinosaur, Ryan?"

The boy looked at his beloved toy and relaxed slightly. "This is Fang. He's a scary dinosaur with big sharp teeth…like mine." He opened his mouth and pointed to his tiny dentures.

JJ softened and inhibited a giggle. "That's a good name for a dinosaur, right Spence?" She looked at Reid who smiled at Ryan and stoically nodded in agreement. "Fang is a scary name. I like it."

Ryan smiled shyly and appeared pleased with the compliment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now Ryan, Spencer and I need your help. Can you and Fang help us?"

The boy thought about it before looking to his dinosaur and nodded. "What happened last night, Ryan?"

The boy contemplated the question and shrugged. "I don't know. Mommy and daddy needed me to be brave and that warrior man said they needed my help."

JJ and Reid exchanged glances. Warrior man? "Who's the warrior man?"

Ryan shook his head as he responded, "I don't know."

"What did he look like?"

"I don't know. It was dark."

Recognizing that the boy was beginning to pull away to protect himself from any mental trauma, JJ was prepared to try a different tactic yet Reid beat her to it. "Was he tall, Ryan, or short?"

Ryan jammed his thumb into his mouth and mentally thought over the question. "Tall."

"Was he tall like me?"

"Taller."

Reid started gaining momentum once he had a feeling who the 'warrior man' was. "Did he have brown hair?"

"Yes."

"Did he have a beard? Like…" Reid struggled to think of a modern figure for children, "like Santa Claus?"

Ryan giggled, finding Reid's comparison of Santa to the 'warrior man' to be funny, and exclaimed, "Not like Santa! His wasn't white!"

Reid smiled and asked, "Well then what did it look like?"

Ryan scrunched his eyes in concentration as he tried to remember. "It was short like Mr. Smee in Peter Pan! But it's not white, it's brown!"

Reid nodded appreciatively and remarked, "That's a good description. So what happened with the 'warrior man'?"

"He told me that mommy and daddy needed my help so he took me to Mr. and Mrs. J's house and told me to tell them about a bad man."

"A bad man?" Almost instantly the image of Foyet's sneering face came to mind for both agents. "Did you see this bad man, Ryan?"

The child shook his head. "No…but I heard him. He was hurting mommy and daddy. Mommy was crying." A shiver trembled through his small frame and he squeezed his toy closer.

JJ's eyes melted into delicate pools as she gently spoke: "Then what happened, sweetie?"

"The warrior man took me to Mr. J and I told Mr. J about the bad man and Mr. J called the police. Mrs. J watched me and then held my hand when I talked to the police and then I found mommy and daddy. I saved them like the warrior man said." He smiled slightly with suppressed pride.

JJ's smile widened in response. "You sure did, Ryan. Great job!" The boy beamed and relaxed.

Reid mildly grinned and asked, "Can you tell us what the warrior man was like, Ryan?" When the boy looked confused, he added, "Was he nice? Was he mean? Was he boring?"

Ryan considered the question before answering, "The warrior man was nice. I was scared of him but he was nice and then I wasn't no more. He talks quiet too. He told me about warriors. He gave me a picture!"

There was no doubt in mind anymore that the 'warrior man' was Tobias yet that last part caught the agents off guard and caused them to exchange glances again. "May we see the picture, Ryan?" JJ politely asked.

The boy nodded and eagerly dug through his pockets. Then he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to the young blonde woman. JJ gently took it between her fingers and smoothed it out. She and Reid took in the intricate sketch of two ninja-type men in different colored kimonos wielding different weapons while a dragon watched them from the background. JJ was puzzled over the seemingly random drawing yet Reid smiled knowingly, recognizing Benjamin's artwork.

It meant and definitely confirmed that Tobias had gained control.

* * *

"Not much damage this time," Morgan noted as he and Hotch stepped into the Ruiz household.

Hotchner nodded while he examined the area for himself. "The police were able to arrive before Foyet could really hurt them. The Ruizes were lucky."

"Yeah, but unfortunately for us it doesn't seem like we'll get much out of this."

"Not exactly." Hotchner pointed over to an object in the living room. "That's definitely Foyet's." The profilers walked up to it and examined it.

"It's a camera stand," Morgan remarked as he looked from it to the chair and loose coils of rope on it. "My best guess is that Foyet was planning on making another video. He must've held the Ruizes hostage in these chairs."

"It would seem so; he must've left the stand behind once the police showed up. Too bad he remembered the camera—we could've found something useful."

"Yeah good point." Morgan briefly paused, thinking about something that unsettled him. "When do you think he and Hankel will actually start posting things?"

Hotchner considered the question before responding, "I don't know. It'll be hard to tell until Foyet and Hankel can find themselves a decent place to set up."

"I guess so…" Morgan trailed off as he pursed his lips.

Clearly catching the ambivalence, Hotchner looked to him. "What's on your mind?"

Morgan hesitated before answering, "I don't know, Hotch, I guess it's just…this entire situation. I know Foyet's hardcore but recruiting Tobias like this…that's just taking it to a whole new level."

Hotch nodded thoughtfully. "Well considering that it's Foyet it's actually not that surprising. And with 'Raphael's' bloodlust and 'Charles's' dedication to God, they wouldn't mind partnering with him."

"Yeah but where does that leave Tobias?" Morgan suddenly asked. "I mean you remember the last time: he let his personalities dominate him. Though he showed that he had a conscience, he still did nothing to stop them from murdering those people…or hurting Reid."

Hotchner set his jaw as the unwelcome recollection cacophonously echoed through his mind. "No he didn't—well not really. He did try and from his recent actions with the Ruizes he's trying again. Let's just hope that he might actually succeed this time; he might even throw Foyet off his game and allow us to find them easier."

True as that may be, it didn't stop Morgan from releasing a frustrated breath. "I doubt that. Tobias has always been controlled by his own mind. Why should this time be different?"

Hotchner assessed his colleague before stating, "Morgan, I know you're still disquieted by Reid's friendship with Tobias but that shouldn't distract you from the case. _You're_ leading this team and we all need you to have a clear head in this."

Morgan glared at him and retorted defensively, "I _do_ have a clear head in this, Hotch. Yeah I'll admit that I find it unsettling that Reid's friends with that creep, we all are, but that's not my main concern right now-"

"Maybe it's not but it's still bothering you," Hotchner bluntly countered. "I'm not going to forget the institution, Morgan, I _saw_ how you interacted with Reid. I don't have to be a profiler to read into what you say to him—I _know_ you're angry and you're making things difficult not only for Reid but for the entire investigation. I understand how you're feeling about this because the others and I feel the same. But we're all doing the best we can to deal with it so I ask that you do the same."

Morgan looked at him incredulously before shaking his head. "I _am _dealing with it, Hotch, but it's not like I can easily brush aside something like that; I can't let go of what that son of a bitch has done. I don't see how Reid can be friends with a guy who tortured and nearly killed him."

"I don't understand either but I plan to deal with it _after _we catch Tobias and Foyet. In the meantime though we need to forget that Reid and Tobias are friends-"

"How can we forget?" Morgan angrily interrupted. "He's been writing to Tobias for nearly two years! _Two fucking years!_ How could we not notice?! Who knows what that sick bastard's written to him…how he's manipulated him! Tobias has probably been messing with Reid's head, screwing up all the progress he's made after recovering from all that shit, especially with the Dilaudid! I can't forget that! I just-"

"I'm afraid you'll have to," Hotch cut in with a steely edge to his voice. "Our top priority is trying to stop two serial killers from murdering more innocent lives, not Reid's social life-"

"Well it ought to be! This whole thing with Tobias is screwing with him in more ways than one! This case is getting to him, Hotch, I can already tell. He's letting his emotions get the better of him-"

"And so are yours-"

"Point blank, we shouldn't have let him come, Hotch, _you_ shouldn't have let him come. Whether or not Reid and Tobias are friends, he's still a serial killer and Reid forgets that. Tobias is out there somewhere with Foyet destroying lives and ruining Reid's in the process! He needs to understand that Tobias will never change and that he isn't really his friend. He's a murderer."

The air was thick with bristling tension as the two alpha males engaged in a brief stare-down. Neither would back down their highly agitated glares until Hotchner coolly responded, "A murderer wouldn't save an innocent child or protect a family."

That surely caught Morgan off guard as he blinked and shifted his expression to one of stunned surprise. Seeing that he didn't have an answer, Hotchner continued, "You said so yourself that Tobias has a conscience and I acknowledge that. Even though 'Charles' and 'Raphael' have control, it still _is_ Tobias's mind. Reid told me that Tobias was able to go against his personalities and I'm hoping that he'll do so again. Now I may not like him or his friendly interaction with Reid but even I'll admit that I do have a bit of respect for him."

Morgan could not have been more shocked and he stared at his colleague for a while, wondering if the case was finally getting to him. "…You respect Tobias Hankel, the bastard that tortured Reid and put him through hell for two days straight?"

"No. I respect the man who saved a child and his family from Foyet. And that's probably the best and only nice thing I can say about him. Keep that in mind as we continue this investigation." And with that, Hotchner exited the house, leaving an aghast, bewildered Morgan to remain frozen in his spot before he eventually found it in him to leave as well.

* * *

He's never been more pissed in his life.

As Foyet strolled around the gas station's mini mart, he kept grinding his teeth as if to erode the anger consuming him. He passed by stands of assorted chips and headed for the back row with the freezers. He glanced at the chilled glass screens and scanned the contents until he found a six-pack of beer. Foyet immediately snatched it off the rack, pulled out a bottle and snapped it open, greedily gulping down the pleasantly burning liquid of alcohol.

Now that's better—a couple of more swings ought to minimize the ire if only for a little while.

"Hey buddy. You drink it, you buy it." Irritation back, Foyet glanced over at the overweight, middle-aged man standing at the cashier frowning at him. He growled in annoyance yet took another swing before he headed to the counter.

He walked past the stocks of candy and trail mix, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and arrived before the cashier; he noisily dropped the six-pack in front of him and attracted the attention of the two college girls and lone man browsing within the store. The cashier man frowned but started scanning the beer bottles.

Foyet tapped his fingers impatiently against the counter and lazily looked up at the cheap TV set up overhead. It was currently set on the news and Foyet frowned as the brunette reporter woman talked.

"Early this morning young couple Austin and Kimberly Ruiz were attacked in their homes by renowned serial killer George Foyet, also known as the Boston Reaper, and Tobias Hankel. Sources say that these two men were the same criminals who have been committing a string of murders in Atlanta these past few days, prompting the FBI from Quantico, Virginia to investigate. However, no leads have been found and these dangerous men are still on the loose."

Foyet couldn't help but grin. _Jackasses._ He's invisible; those Neanderthals who call themselves profilers can't touch him. He had managed to hide under the feds' noses for ten years so it's relatively easy for him to not be found this time. Aaron and his precious agents can try all they want but they won't catch him until it's too late. And even by then the damage would already be done.

Foyet chuckled as he took another swallow of beer. Hell who was he kidding—they can't catch him, they won't be able to. He's just that good.

_Guess you finally met your match, Aaron._

His darkly satisfied thoughts were interrupted, however, when the reporter woman continued: "Thankfully though that four year old Ryan Ruiz was able to escape and alert his neighbor of the men invading his home. Then the cops arrived just in time to rescue the Ruizes who were found relatively unharmed and are currently under police protection. No word yet on the whereabouts of Foyet and Hankel but it's safe to say that the Ruizes are alive for another day…"

The Reaper's grin vanished in an instant as fury burned his core. As if he had forgotten about _that_ little blunder. Those people were as good as dead: he had them tied up, scared shitless, and completely at his mercy yet all it took was one mistake for it to all be in vain. If he had made the mistake then it'd be a different story -namely because he wouldn't be _making_ mistakes in the first place- but it wasn't his mistake…

It was _his_.

Blazing ire radiated off his being and threated to start a wildfire. Foyet clenched his bottle and flicked his gaze towards where he parked his car. He should've known there'd be complications, repercussions even, and the thing was he _did _know yet assumed that he could handle it.

But apparently he couldn't and as a result, three of his victims were alive.

It made him burn just thinking about it.

"Alright man that'll be $15.78. Cash only." Foyet turned his attention back on the cashier who was looking at him expectantly.

"Sorry _chief_ but I'm afraid I'm broke."

The cashier raised an eyebrow in disgust. "Well then you can't have the beer or the cancer sticks. And you're gonna _at least_ have to pay for the bottle you've already taken the liberty of _drinking_ out of."

Foyet furrowed his brow at him before curling his mouth into an abysmal grin. "Fine. I'll pay ya." Then he quickly pulled out his gun and fired at the man twice in the chest and stomach. He simultaneously heard the cashier's choking on his pain and crumpling to the ground as well as the shrill screams of the girls and the gasp of the man as they witnessed the deed with horror.

Without hesitation, Foyet spun around and shot the male bystander in the shoulder. As he clutched his shoulder and staggered, the Reaper looked to the girls who were screaming in utter terror and trying to make a run for the exit.

_Oh don't make it so easy._

It took three shots to hit one girl in the back of her leg and the other twice in the back. Foyet took a moment to relish in the pools of blood and the pitiful noises of pain before he grabbed his beer and cigarettes and left the mini mart, satisfied with his work. He slammed the door behind him and spotted two other cars beside his own. A teenage couple was sitting in a convertible while an aged man was pumping some gas into his car. All three sets of eyes were directed to the mini mart and then locked on him as they clearly heard the gun shots and noticed the weapon they originated from.

Foyet allowed himself a smirk before aiming the gun towards the couple and shot them both. Bullets shrieked through sound and tore through tender flesh as they devoured the ribs of the girl and the abdomen of the boy.

Amidst their desperate cries of pain, Foyet turned his attention to the man who looked to him in fearful realization but Foyet shot him in the chest before he could even think of moving. Foyet sneered over at his victims and took that moment to appreciate their twitching, moaning forms.

They were still alive…

_Well we can't have __**that**__ now, can we?_

Knowing he needed to move fast, Foyet hurried over to his car, got in, and drove it over to the other side of the street a couple of feet away. Then putting the pack of cigarettes in his pocket and the pack of beer in the car, Foyet carried his lone, unfinished bottle and walked back over to the gas station. He carefully stepped over the groaning man and grabbed the nozzle he had been using. Taking a brief glance at the man, Foyet apathetically squeezed the handle and sprayed him with the foul-smelling liquid.

The stranger coughed with disgust and hissed as the gas seeped in his bullet wound. Foyet sprayed it all over the man's car and all around the diameter. Then he put it back and went over to the couple's station and did the same to them and their car, spilling gas as far around the area as he could.

Once he was done, Foyet put the nozzle back then proceeded to casually stroll over to the mini mart and check on his victims. The girls and man were still on the ground bleeding and struggling to breathe through their agony. Foyet ignored them and approached the cashier. The man was lying behind the counter trying to suppress the blood flow from his stomach and chest.

He heard Foyet's footsteps and looked up at him with terror marring his expression. "What…what are you d-doing?" He rasped though he looked fearful of the answer.

"You'll see soon enough," Foyet answered with a smirk. "It's a good thing you're not dead yet or else you'd miss it." Laughing at the look of dread in his eyes, Foyet left him there and exited the mart. His eyes scanned the area, the ground in particular and found what he was looking for.

Foyet went up to a position on the ground that had the lid of a containment unit. He kneeled over and used brute strength to twist the lid and heave it up until it opened. Within it was a dark, dank, seemingly bottomless hole that reeked of gasoline, the underground storage tank.

A sadistic grin perverted the light of his smile as Foyet opened his beer bottle and began to pour it out starting from the edge of the hole and making his way backwards. He managed to reach one of the stations once it emptied and he smashed the bottle to the ground with a twisted sneer.

Then Foyet nonchalantly made his way back over to his car and pulled out the pack of cigarettes, pulling one out and lighting it up. He took a couple of drags as he surveyed the calm, serene area around him. Nothing stirred. Even from the distance Foyet could make out the bloodied, crumpled forms of those people as they attempted to crawl to an upright position.

Just as Foyet sneered with amusement, a low groan reached his ears. He turned to the car and glanced at his passenger sitting shotgun unwillingly, his wrists encased by a pair of handcuffs that were secured to the door handle. Tobias twitched in his spot as he gradually began to regain consciousness. Foyet merely watched him, scowling, as he blinked into awareness.

Tobias's breathing hitched as his eyes shot open at the sudden realization of his whereabouts. He tried moving but quickly realizing that his wrists were trapped, connecting him with the car and making escape impossible. The cuffs rattled for a moment as Tobias struggled to get loose, his breathing becoming more erratic. His gaze fervently darted about, taking in the gas station, before they finally locked on Foyet.

The Reaper took a moment to revel in the intense panic that invaded his already startled features before irritably commenting, "Well it's about time you got up. It's been hours."

Tobias noticeably stiffened and merely stared at him, briefly unable to speak. Then he managed to stutter, "W-what d-did you d-do?"

Foyet lightly smirked and took a purposely long drag, stretching out the silence and suspense. "If you're referring to what I did to you personally, then not much. You remember your little stunt with that family?"

When Tobias said nothing, though his face gave away his confirmation, Foyet continued, "We had barely gotten away from the feds and we were almost caught because of you. I was pissed…I'm _still_ pissed and I wanted to kill you…and I almost did too."

Tobias's face paled and Foyet coughed out a mirthless laugh. "I was so close…I even pulled the trigger…but I purposely didn't shoot you. And you know why? Because I knew it wouldn't do me any good and I still need your 'father' and 'Raphael' on my side—I doubt they'd stay if I killed you, even though they hate your guts as much as I do."

He glared at him and Tobias shivered. "So instead I knocked you out with the barrel of the gun and you've been out cold ever since." Foyet's mouth curled into an abysmal grin. "But I'm actually glad you're up; you can see the _surprise_ I have for you."

Tobias actually flinched and looked at him with impossibly large eyes. "_What did you do?!_"

The unrestrained hysteria in his repeated question was evident and Foyet's grin widened. "Just watch." Pushing himself off of the car, Foyet casually walked across the street and back to the gas station.

He inhaled a huge amount of nicotine and took a final glance at the worthless beings wallowing in their own blood. Then with a satisfied smirk, Foyet casually tossed the cigarette onto one of the stations.

It immediately erupted with flames.

Foyet took several steps back as fire consumed the station and then raced onto the gasoline-tracked cement floor. The flames shot across the ground and barreled through everything in its path: the stations, the nozzles, the cars, the people.

The teenage couple screamed in horror as they were engulfed by the monstrous, blazing inferno. Then the man released a beast-like bellow once the merciless fire gorged on him and greedily wolfed down his flesh.

The burning holocaust continued to travel throughout the gas station until it reached the mini mart. The entire establishment was up in flames within a second. White-hot conflagration enveloped the mart and the distance sound of inhuman screams filled the air, mixing in with the overbearing smoke. The intensity of the blaze was only matched by the cruel, smug pleasure in Foyet's smirking eyes.

He watched as the inferno devoured every inch of the gas station and ravaged the scene. The burning teeth of the fire sank deeply into the structure and noisily chewed on the people like appetizers. Foyet then noticed that the alcohol trail he left was dragging a path of fire that was slowly leading to the underground gas tank…

The alarm that briefly stung him was drowned by the adrenaline and corrupted glee as Foyet instantly spun around and ran to get as far away from the gas station as possible…

**BOOM!**

Foyet was knocked to the ground by the extreme amount of force from the blast. His ears rang like Christmas bells but he ignored it as he gingerly got up and looked at the gas station.

Or at least what was left of it.

What once was a normal place was transformed into a smoky inferno of Hellish flames. The entire station was on fire and burning dangerously like the intense passion of obsession. From what Foyet could see, everything was immersed by an ochre darkness that spread across the universe that was the gas station. Foyet savored the ashy smell, the roaring heat, and absolute glory of the fiery flames as it clamored throughout the idle Atlanta scenery.

And yet even _that_ didn't compare to the sight he craved.

He turned to look back at the car and his eyes glowed. Tobias wore a look of complete, stark horror that shadowed any light within him. Light brown eyes stared at the entire scene with appalled terror that outmatched any previous stricken expressions he's had. Tobias's body was rigid yet began to tremble as the color in his face faded into blank white entity. He had stopped struggling and could do nothing but watch the flaming massacre, struck speechless.

The Reaper grinned to himself as he walked back to the car. Tobias flinched once he got in and slammed the door. He looked at him horribly stunned, his eyes haunted by the demons of the inferno.

Foyet's smirk held an underlying sense of darkness as he started up the car. "I warned you there'd be consequences. You shouldn't have messed with me and my plans. And just think what would happen if you were to try something stupid again because this," he gestured to the fire, "is only a small fraction of what I'm capable of. Don't fuck with me."

Taking in the dread in Tobias's eyes as a good sign, Foyet started up the car and began to drive them away, leaving behind an unholy destruction that would burn Hell itself.

* * *

**...Huh, longest chapter yet. Sorry if this unsettled anyone but keep in mind that this is Foyet we're talking about :/**

**Well...I don't have anything else to say other than 'thanks for reading' so thanks for reading! :)**


	19. The Infernal Ruins

**101 reviews?! (insert spit-take here) Wow this is so cool! My goal for this story was to have at least one review per chapter but this...this is just amazing! Thank you guys for reading and for caring! :D**

**As for the delay...I can explain...at the end of the chapter :/**

**Warnings: language, gruesome images, mentions of child abuse, spoilers to season 2 "Revelations", season 4 "Omnivore", and season 5 "Nameless Faceless"**

* * *

_It's all my fault. Those people are dead…and it's my fault. I shouldn't have interfered. If I hadn't have gotten involved then those people would still be alive. It's my fault. I had driven a mad man to murder innocent lives. I gave him an incentive to take away pure souls and burn them to Hell. It's all my fault. Why couldn't I have just stayed out of it? Why did I have to intervene? It's my fault. It's all my fault._

_God, please forgive me. Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil. _

_I'm so sorry._

* * *

There was nothing left.

The charred ruins of what was once a gas station lay crumbled about on the uncaring asphalt and leered at the profilers. The BAU team couldn't utter a word as they took in the horrifying effects of what they assumed was an awful fire. Ambulances and fire trucks blared past them but they barely heard them, knowing that there was nothing they could really do.

There was nothing they could salvage, nothing they could save, no _one_ they could save.

Each FBI agent examined the scene with hollow, attentive yet unseeing eyes and attempted to make sense of all of this. When the police had gotten a 9-1-1 call from a girl who claimed that a man fitting Foyet's description was on a rampage at a gas station, everyone was on alert. The word 'rampage' unconsciously stung them with alarm and flashbacks of the bus incident suddenly struck hard. With quick haste they all instantly rushed to the scene of the crime, hoping that they weren't too late.

But their meager hopes were shot execution style as they drove up to the ashy, inky blackness that botched the area. They took in the scorched remnants of a normal gas station and unwillingly breathed in a repugnant stench of ash and smoke and something else they couldn't properly identify. Yet judging by the sickening assault on their senses and the coiling, poisonous knot of dread that darkened their perception, they didn't want to know.

"Why would he do this?" Everyone looked to JJ at her softly spoken question.

After taking a moment to regain himself, Rossi slowly shook his head. "Does it matter? Destruction is all the same for him as long as he enjoys it and from the looks of it, I'm guessing he enjoyed it."

Hotchner, however, didn't agree. "No, this isn't just about having a sadistic thrill, this is something deeper. Foyet just doesn't cause random destruction, he has a motive."

"Think he might be trying to tell us something?" Prentiss asked with unease.

"Maybe but what?"

Silence briefly befell the group until Morgan steadily commented, "Alright so we know Foyet, we profiled him: he's a sociopathic narcissist that thrives on his need for power and dominance. His use of a switchblade represents that need and he kills mercilessly and personally. This fire…doesn't make sense—it's too broad and completely unlike Foyet."

"Yes, Foyet's actions are similar to an arsonist and arsonists are driven by pure thrill and excitement and often compulsion," Reid began to recite from memory. "They are profiled as antisocial, aggressive, and apathetic and though Foyet is all of those things, the actions of a typical arsonist revolve around destruction and vandalism. On the other hand, Foyet's intentions are purely for personal enjoyment—though destruction plays a role, he relies more on his domination over his victims rather than the effects. Setting the gas station on fire seems like an act of impulse."

"I think you're right," Hotchner said as he nodded, processing the information as well as his own understanding of his enemy. "Foyet is meticulous and completely focused on making videos with Tobias. There really isn't a reason for him to veer off course unless he planned on videotaping this."

"But even then it doesn't really make any sense," JJ put in. "Why risk doing this in broad daylight?"

The question momentarily had them stumped until something dawned on Prentiss. "It wasn't planned," she remarked with the utmost certainty. "And if that's the case, then what's the root to this? What's Foyet's motivation?"

"Rage," Morgan answered as his dark brown eyes swept over the burned down establishment, the answer easily coming to him at the sight. "Fire is often a representation of rage so this is could be a result of Foyet getting pissed off. I mean you remember the bus massacre?"

Unfortunately they all did and inwardly cringed. "So what's the stressor this time?" Rossi asked aloud.

"Tobias," Hotch effortlessly answered. "He had helped Ryan escape and allowed the Ruizes to be rescued…that obviously wouldn't sit well with Foyet. This…this could be his way of unleashing his anger and proving what he's capable of…just like his stunt with the bus." That last part sounded reflective, regretful, guilty even and the rest of the team looked to him in sympathy.

Suddenly their silent musings were cut short when they were approached by a fireman. "Hey you're with the FBI, right?"

Morgan nodded, instantly assuming his leadership status. "Yeah, can we help you?"

"Well I just thought you should know that we found the remains of seven different people, four males and three females, one of which we can assume made the 9-1-1 call."

The entire team took in the news with shock; though they could only guess that there were likely to be bystanders the fact was still appalling. "Seven?" JJ repeated.

The man somberly nodded. "Unfortunately, yes."

"Do you think you can tell us anything else, anything you might've noticed?" Morgan inquired.

Another melancholy nod. "Even through the burns it was obvious that they had all been shot. And I may not be a specialist but from what I can tell they were all shot in nonlethal areas—we found bullets on the floor…near remains we assumed were once the shoulder, abdomen, or stomach, some even in bone. So these people weren't dead until that nut set the place on fire."

His observation was met with stunned silence as the profilers absorbed this new information.

"If they were shot in nonlethal areas, then they were…_burned_ alive?" JJ stated as her face blanched into an unnatural shade of a sickly white.

"That seems to be the case but I don't know for sure; you might want to take a look for yourself seeing that you folks specialize in these kinds of things."

Hotchner set his jaw as the unwanted piercing screams of agonizing pain echoed in his mind. "Thank you for your assistance, it's much appreciated." The fireman inclined his head and the left to rejoin his colleagues.

"Foyet had those people burned alive," Rossi grimly observed. "This takes his depravity and anger to a whole new level…it has me concerned over what he plans to do next."

"Or what he might do to Tobias," JJ suddenly added with widened eyes.

Instantly Reid's orbs sharpened and dilated with alarm as the realization slammed into him. The rest of team appeared unnerved as well as they warily glanced at Reid. However, the young profiler shook his head and steadily declared, "Then that means we need to amplify our efforts to find Foyet before it's too late."

Each FBI agent nodded and wordlessly gathered any last minute information about the fire before heading back to the police station.

* * *

Reid nervously took a sip of coffee and chewed on his thumbnail as he gazed at the photos of Foyet and 'Raphael's' victims. So many happy, carefree faces posed a smile for him, unaware that their lives would be tragically cut short by a nightmare and an entity.

And though the thought of their excruciating deaths churned his stomach, the image of the same thing happening to Tobias made him feel like retching. He just couldn't bear the thought of Foyet inflicting horrible, excruciating torture on him and finding limitless stab wounds buried in the torso of his dead body.

But unfortunately, that was indeed an option.

Reid unconsciously shivered and dug his nails into the Styrofoam cup. He couldn't let that happen but what can he really do? He and the others have no idea where Tobias and Foyet are and even if they did it's been hours since they were last spotted by that fated gas station. For all he knows Tobias could already be dead…

He abruptly shook his head. No, he couldn't afford to think like that. He just has to accept that what's done is done; the best thing he can do is put forth his best efforts in doing his part to track them down and hope that he and the team aren't too late.

_But what if you are?_

Reid forcefully shoved away that leering thought. He refused to welcome pessimism into his perspective and strived to remain hopeful for a better outcome. However, it'd be easier to accomplish this if he actually had something to do. He was assigned with trying to map out any possible locations to Foyet and Tobias's whereabouts and so far he hasn't gotten very far. There wasn't much to go on and that left too many opportunities for his treacherous brain to start thinking, to start worrying about things that haven't happened.

_Yet._

Reid gritted his teeth and took a sip of coffee, forcefully swallowing it. If he were out on patrol with the others then he wouldn't have this problem. But as it was, the team had left him behind.

Once they had left the gas station, they immediately began to thoroughly examine all their resources for any clues. Hotch and Prentiss had gone off to check out the recent bodies in the ME and returned appearing sickened and somber. They confirmed the fireman's observation of Foyet shooting those people before leaving them to burn to death, having found some bullet wounds embedded within bone or at the very least leaving an obvious mark. Otherwise they found no messages and only viewed the indistinguishable charred beings that were once human.

Desperate to catch Foyet, Hotchner suggested that they split up and go on patrol and everyone agreed. Unfortunately Reid was ordered by Morgan to remain behind and he wasn't given any room to argue. And for an added bonus, JJ was told to stay as well, probably to keep an eye on him. Reid had set his jaw but nevertheless kept his cool when Morgan and the others left the station.

After a while, JJ thought it would be necessary that she made a public statement about the fire once Chief Sullivan informed them of the concerns of the multitude of people. She left several minutes ago and Reid's been alone ever since.

Alone with his dark, cynical thoughts.

Reid flinched when his cell phone suddenly started ringing. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. Despite himself a smile played on his lips and he answered it: "Hey Garcia."

"Hello boy genius!" Garcia cheerfully chirped from her end. "And how is my adorable Junior G-man doing?!"

"I'm alright, Garcia, thank you. How are you?"

"Oh I'm a bit frustrated. I tried salvaging any security footage from that gas station but came up with nada! That fire was just too severe for anything to be saved and I'm so angry because I was close to coming up with something. I was _so_ close, Reid, I almost had a distorted clip of the footage but alas, t'was all in vain. The damage was too extreme and I couldn't recover anything. Ugh! Damn you, Foyet!"

Reid, though initially amused by her brief rant, was disappointed by her news. "That's too bad Garcia but thanks for trying. Have you told Morgan, Hotch, and the others yet?"

"Yes. I called that sexy beast Morgan and after whispering some dirty things to me, he told me that I should tell you about the footage."

Reid nodded and lightly smiled though Garcia couldn't see him. "I see. Well thanks again for trying, Garcia. Call us if something comes up and keep a lookout if Foyet and 'Raphael' happen to post anything."

"Will do! But Reid before I go, I need to ask," Reid heard the clear hesitation in her voice as she inquired, "are you okay?"

Caught off guard by the soft-spoken question, Reid warily answered, "Um, yeah I'm okay."

"No hun, I mean how are you holding up?"

Reid instinctively tightened his grip on his coffee as his initial awful feeling of uncertainty returned. "I'm…I'm holding up fine."

"You don't sound fine," Garcia commented, sounding dubious. "C'mon Reid talk to me—are you…worried about Tobias?"

Reid chewed his lower lip and released a sigh. "Of course I am, Garcia, why wouldn't I be?"

Garcia hesitated before responding, "Well I know you are but I just…can't help but be concerned about you. This whole thing isn't getting to you, is it?"

"I…" Reid contemplated his answer and continued, "Honestly Garcia, there are moments when it does but other moments I'm just so focused on the case that I don't have time to worry. I'm trying not to let my emotions get in the way but…"

"You just can't help yourself," Garcia suggested, finishing for him.

"Yeah, I can't. But in the end I somehow manage to set them aside so you shouldn't worry about me, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Garcia inquired doubtfully.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Well…okay then. Just keep confident that everything will be alright." Reid could basically imagine Garcia putting on her charming, perky smile to match her lively tone of voice. "We'll catch Foyet and then we'll find Tobias and bring him back safe and sound. This whole thing will blow over and everything will be back to normal in no time! Soon we'll have Foyet behind bars and Tobias will be back at the institution and the two of you can write your letters again! It'll all be fine!"

"Yeah, I hope so." Reid had just been in the process of forming a smile when it suddenly disappeared, replaced by confusion. "Wait, what?"

"What about 'what'?"

"Did you, uh, did you just say that Tobias and I will be writing letters?"

"Um, yeah. Won't you guys want to continue that?"

"Well of course, but…you're okay with it?"

Though Garcia didn't say anything for a moment, Reid could clearly sense her discomfort from his end. "…I never said I was."

"But the way you've phrased it conveys that you're fine with it."

For a moment Garcia didn't speak and Reid waited breathlessly. Then he heard her audible sigh before she muttered, "Can I be completely honest with you, Reid?"

"Sure," Reid replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Well Reid, I um, well I…I just…I'm not too happy about that whole thing between you and Tobias," Garcia finally rushed out the rest of that statement in one breath, "but I'm sure you've figured that out already. I mean who can really blame me because…oh my gosh I did _not_ mean to say it like that! What I meant was that everyone's feeling the same about this and I can understand why and I'm sure you know _exactly_ what we're thinking but-"

"Garcia," Reid gently yet wearily cut her off, "I know what you mean and I understand. A couple of years ago I wouldn't have understood myself either but that was then and this is now. Now things have changed and I know that you and the others aren't thrilled about it nor do you understand-"

"No, we don't understand," Garcia quietly yet steadily interrupted, "_I_ don't understand. I can't fathom why on earth you would ever be friends with the guy who put you through so much…pain—I mean, how _could_ you ever be friends with him? It just doesn't make sense; Tobias had _killed_ you, Reid, I had…seen that for myself."

A pinch of guilt twitched within Reid as he listened to the soft, melancholic tone in her voice. However, he was prepared to give her the same speech he had given JJ until Garcia suddenly composed herself and declared, "But I have more important things to work on right now so I'll deal with my thoughts about this later. I may not understand nor do I think I'll ever but right now I'd rather focus on catching Foyet before he hurts more people. Now as far as I'm concerned, Tobias doesn't want to be a part of this but has to because of his jerk-face personalities. So my job is to do my best to make sure he's found and brought back to the institution. Whether or not he's our enemy or ally…or your friend I still want him to turn up alive and unharmed."

For a moment Reid was speechless as he processed Garcia's statements and the sincerity within them. Eventually he managed out a fairly weak, "Really?"

He was surprised when Garcia let out a laugh. "Yes _really_, Reid. Strange as it may be I _don't_ have a heart of stone like our dark, mysterious Hotchner."

"No, I guess not," Reid replied with a light chuckle. "But I'll admit I am a bit shocked by your response. I honestly would have never assumed that you'd feel this way."

"Well how did you expect me to feel?"

The question caught the young profiler off guard and he attempted to conjure up a response. Coming up with nothing, Reid instinctively shrugged. "I don't really know; everyone else has been focusing more on Foyet and they're sort of treading delicately on the subject of Tobias…well except for Morgan who bluntly expresses his dislike of him." Reid frowned at the thought.

Garcia let out a knowing sigh. "That's my sugar daddy for you. Well no offense but you can't exactly blame him for being him. He's just trying to look out for you that's all."

"Yeah, I know. I just wish he'd try and make an effort to understand but…I guess that's asking for too much." _And I just have to accept that neither he nor anyone else will ever understand._

Garcia seemed to hesitate, as if reluctant to voice what's on her mind before she said, "Just…give him some time to process this, honey. Eventually Morgan will just have to accept that you and Tobias are friendly and that it's gonna _stay_ that way even after this is all over."

"You sound…unusually unperturbed by that," Reid warily stated. "Would you…be uncomfortable if I continue my letters to Tobias? Granted once we find him, that is."

"Well…yeah I would be at first but…I guess in time I'll have to admit to myself that Tobias is a natural part of your life and…is your friend. Now like I said I may not necessarily understand or even, well, approve but I think you're perfectly capable of handling yourself so there shouldn't be any problems. So…why _shouldn't_ you write to him?"

Reid didn't know what to say as he absorbed what she said. Soon he was immersed by an overwhelming amount of relief and gratitude that cleansed him of his stress and worries if not momentarily. He smiled widely and said, "Thank you, thank you so much, Garcia, I…I needed to hear that."

The young profiler could've sworn that Garcia smiled from the other line as she jovially responded, "Oh you're so very welcome, boy wonder, any time. I'm always happy to put a mortal at ease with my charming personality."

Reid laughed and replied, "Glad to see that I've been graced by a tech goddess."

"You should be honored my little mundane." She giggled and said, "So I'll do my part and I'll let you know if anything changes. In the meantime you'd better stop worrying! Everything will be fine and stress only causes wrinkles and weight loss—you're skinny as it is, Reid, and I can't have you looking like Rossi before you're thirty!"

Reid chuckled and smiled knowingly. "I'll do my best. Thanks again, Garcia!"

"You're welcome and Reid?"

"Yeah?"

"Keep in mind that Tobias will be fine. He saved a little boy and his family and I believe that what goes around comes around so he should be alight. Fate goes in favor of good people."

Reid's smile grew softer. "I will."

* * *

_I think he got the message._

Foyet was driving on a near-empty road, mildly humming a tune from the radio and occasionally glancing at his distraught passenger. Once he and Tobias had left the gas station, Hankel didn't say a word, too appalled to even utter a sound. His glassy, unseeing eyes had remained fixed in front of him and his focus was trapped within his mind, silently screaming to be released. But even behind the dead expression Foyet could easily decipher the horror he was experiencing.

And he couldn't help but love it.

He's always enjoyed the countenances of sheer terror on his victims' faces and he especially enjoyed Hotchner's pained expression when he attacked him—Foyet knew it was taking every ounce of his being to not cry out and he had inevitably lost that battle. In the end the amount of agony and suppressed fear within him was delicious. Seeing Tobias so broken like this was very refreshing and Foyet found it nearly as savory as Hotchner's aspect.

But all in all, he was more thrilled that Tobias had gotten the message and he'll think twice before trying to stop him again. He won.

They drove in silence for a while and a quick look at Tobias revealed that the man wasn't 'there' anymore; instead he was replaced by an empty, hollow structure completely void of human emotion. Foyet was puzzled, thinking that maybe 'Raphael' had shown up, but was proven false when he noticed that the dullness of Tobias's eyes wasn't the archangel's usual apathy but rather from an extreme case of shock.

He internally shrugged; he was fine with it as long as Hankel didn't whine or anything.

There was further quiet until he felt Tobias shift next to him, the handcuffs around his wrists clinking together as they tried to get free. Foyet fully looked to Tobias and observed the darkened scowl on his face as well as a familiar sense of anger in his callous eyes.

"Hey Hankel! What's up?" He flashed a grin at 'Charles' who frowned at him in return.

Hankel briefly turned to him and glared as he snarled, "Foyet! Why the hell am I being restrained?!"

Foyet chuckled and lightly shook his head. "Sorry about that—I had an earlier issue with Tobias." He didn't bother to elaborate on his vague response and instead quickly slowed the car to a stop, produced the key from his pocket, and began to unlock the handcuffs.

Once the metallic restraints were removed, 'Charles' unconsciously rubbed his wrists and glowered darker. "What the hell has that bastard done now?"

Foyet had to hold back a smirk as he replied, "Well you remember the house we were at earlier?" A curt nod of confirmation and he continued, "'Raphael' and I were about to kill the sinners of that house but your son screwed us up by allowing the kid of the family to escape. He got his neighbors to call the cops and we had to leave before we could slaughter 'em. Those people got off stock free."

'Charles' narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "That fucking piece of shit! How dare he interfere after I had ordered him not to! I will fucking kill him!"

"Relax Hankel, I took care of that—well, I didn't kill him but I did teach him a lesson."

Foyet smiled coolly as 'Charles' minimally relaxed and became intrigued. "How so?"

"I set fire to a place that held a cult of sinners," Foyet stated without shame, his grin widening with cruel amusement and dark brutality at the thought.

'Charles' seemed genuinely impressed as he nodded with something akin to admiration in his eyes. "And did the boy learn something?"

"Yeah, he learned of the bad things that come along from messing with me, err, God's will. I showed him that his actions _will_ lead to consequences. That fire was just a taste of what the ungrateful wretches of the world will experience once they die and go to Hell."

'Charles' inclined his head again, appearing almost in awe. "I wish I could've seen it. It must've been one hell of a fire if it's compared to Satan's conflagration."

Foyet beamed with satisfaction at the ruthless glint in his eyes. "I wish you would've as well. I have a feeling you would've liked it. It was like a fucking bonfire of burning bodies, bodies of pitiful beings. Damn, you should've seen the looks on their faces…so pathetic and terrified," he ominously chuckled, "as if they deserved to live."

"They sound almost as bad as my son, my own flesh and blood." 'Charles' shook his head in disgust. "I'm a superior Christian man with spiritual strength and yet I was given such a waste of life. That boy was never meant to be born. I blame that back-stabbing bitch Martha—once she left me, that's when Tobias became impossible to tolerate."

Foyet's eyes lit up as he recalled that Martha Hankel had left her family when Tobias was a boy. How interesting…

_She could never protect him. No matter what she did, it was never enough to curb his father's rage._

_At a young age, George foolishly hoped that his dear mommy would save him from daddy's wrath but time and time again proved him wrong. Every time his father unleashed a torrent of fists and kicks upon him, George would remember his mother always yelling at him to stop or putting herself in-between her child and her husband. She would shout, she would cry, she would beg, she would even occasionally hit back but she ultimately couldn't stop him and George always ended up the same way: beaten, fractured, anguished, worthless, weak._

_So after a while he learned to stop relying on his mom. If his father was on a rampage, he didn't hope that his mother would come and try to help him—instead he tried holding out until that asshole lost interest. And if that woman happened to try and stand up for him, then he didn't care if she got hit or not—he didn't give a damn._

_She was weak, just like any and every woman. She was frail and useless and though her efforts to protect him were initially admired and cherished, they eventually became tiresome and irritating. _

_And then she became just as expendable as his old man._

Foyet grinded his teeth and shook his head, trying to refocus on his initial train of thought before it became…sidetracked. "Uh Mr. Hankel if you don't mind me asking, do you still think of your ex-wife?"

'Charles's' features immediately tightened as a vindictive shadow glared over his face. "I try not to but how can I not when that whore ran off with another man."

"I see…so how much would you say you hate her right now?"

'Charles' bitterly scoffed. "You make it sound like if I could feel anything else for her."

An inkling of an idea began to take shape as Foyet malevolently grinned. "So if you were to run into her right now, what would you tell her?"

"What would I tell her? I wouldn't need to say anything; I'd be too busy punching that bitch silly for betraying me and leaving me to raise her fucking little bastard! She deserves to be _maimed_ for leaving me."

It took all of Foyet's self-control to hold back a giddy laugh. "Would you believe me if I told you that you could actually have that chance?"

'Charles' looked at him incredulously, momentarily caught off guard. "What the hell are you saying, Foyet?"

"I'm saying that I currently have the means to track down your ex and we can find her and make her pay for everything she's done to you. All I need is a simple 'yes' from you, Mr. Hankel. What do you say?"

For a moment nothing was heard but the rumbling of the car's out of shape engine and the gentle breeze travelling through the trees from the forest around them. Foyet couldn't tell what 'Charles' was thinking of when he wore that usual angry scowl on his face and he carefully scanned the pages of his eyes.

In the end, he found what he was looking for as 'Charles' gradually nodded to him. "Find her."

Foyet smirked with triumph and hoped that the superiority in his expression didn't show too much. "Gladly." He quickly reached into the back seat and pulled the laptop 'Raphael' had stolen. He quickly flipped it open, put it on, and began to wait as the server began to load.

Taking note of Hankel's mildly confused expression, Foyet said, "I can use the Internet to track down your ex. All I need is her name and I'll be able to locate her in no time."

Hankel nodded in understanding and said, "Her name is Martha Rosaline Dunham."

Foyet briefly hesitated before asking, "Do you think she'd still keep her last name?"

'Charles' frowned with distaste. "Probably not. If I remember, she left me for some bastard named Richard Emerson. Knowing her she'd probably keep his name."

Foyet inclined his head and then began typing the information in the computer. After a few seconds, he received results. He sneered as an address popped up for a Mrs. Martha Emerson as well as a recent photo. "Is this your beloved darling?" he mockingly cooed.

Hankel only needed one look at the picture before he glowered and growled, "That's her, the stupid bitch."

"Well now that we have an address, what do you say we pay her a quick visit, shall we?"

* * *

**Alright there are some things I'd like to address:**

**1) I'm not sure if Tobias's mother is alive in the show, they've never confirmed it, and obviously her name was never mentioned either so let's just say the information I put in this chapter is legit.**

**2) Updates are going to be a bit slower from now on because frankly I'm losing my edge to write...anything. I swear I haven't written anything decent for a while now and it's driving me crazy. I keep getting distracted by other fanfiction stories and when I actually try and get my butt in gear, I come up with nada. I'm not sure how long it'll take to get out of this funk but I assure you that I won't give up on this story! I promise! Just be patient and bear with me! Thank you! :)**


	20. Festering to a Boil

**Can someone do me a favor and start doing a rain dance? I want the writing gods to locate my missing muses :(**

**I'd like to give a huge thanks for those who reviewed the last chapter: People Person I'm Not, songwriterforlife99, zeldawolf2000, BB, and lLaviLavi! You guys gave me a nice boost :)**

**BB: Why thank you very much! You don't know how much your comment means to me! I'm flattered and beaming with joy! Thanks for the smile and have a nice day! :D**

**And thank you for those reading this! It's nice to know that people are interested!**

**Warnings: language, violence**

* * *

He was finally going to see her. After over twenty long years of wallowing hatred and self-doubt, he was finally going to see her, talk to her.

And he couldn't wait.

He couldn't wait to throttle the bitch and ingrain it in her brain over how ludicrous and thick she was for leaving him. Charles would never forgive Martha for betraying him how she did. He gave her everything: a home, a son, a life, his love…

And yet she threw it away for some simpleton with the spiritual magnitude of a common ignoramus. This Richard Emerson wasn't good enough for her and ironically Martha wasn't good enough for Charles himself.

She deserved to die.

Charles allowed himself to relish in these satisfyingly dark thoughts as Foyet drove them to her house, to her new life. Foyet fueled his rage by suggesting ways to deal with her. Each method was violent and fairly bloody and Charles became enraptured with all of them, soon unable decide which one to go with. In the end he figured that once he sees her, he'll just know how to react. In the meantime, he settled for the taste of acidic rage boiling within him, waiting to be unleashed.

_It started off as any normal day. The Hankel residence was bustling with life since the early morning and everything occurred as it usually did: Charles prepared for the day while Martha cooked breakfast—waffles._

_That should've been his first clue—Martha only made waffles when it was either a special day for their son or if the child was going through a rough time. _

_After breakfast Tobias left for school and Charles and Martha were left alone. Nothing was off and Martha went through the morning as she usually did, washing the dishes, folding the laundry, and cleaning the house. She didn't act out of the ordinary so Charles didn't think much of anything._

_He had no clue that he was about to be betrayed._

_Charles then went to work, same as always. and when he came back, he was met with a hollow, empty aura within the house. He sensed it the moment he stepped in and it only took a moment to realize that Martha was nowhere in sight. He called out for her but she didn't respond, her name echoing like a dry, mirthless laugh in a deserted room. _

_He went through the entire house but she just wasn't there. Eventually he made it to their bedroom and discovered a shocking sight: her drawers was practically flung open and all of her clothes, her possessions were gone. And there was single sheet of paper resting on the bed, _their_ bed. It read:_

**_It's just not working, Charles. I've been seeing someone else for a while and I've fallen in love with him. It's taken me some time to realize this and now that I have, I've gone to be with him. Our relationship wasn't meant to be and I believe that it's God's will for us to pursue different lives. I hope that in time you'll forgive me and that you'll one day understand. _**

**_Tell Tobias that this isn't his fault and that I love him and that I always will._**

**_May the Lord be with you and Tobias. Take care and I'm sorry._**

**_-Martha_**

_For a long time Charles just stood there staring at the note, rereading it over and over again. Eventually Tobias came home and when he asked about where his mom was, Charles didn't beat around the bush and harshly said that she was gone, that she had left them. Tobias couldn't believe it and started crying. Charles had to slap him to shut him up._

_This had been the first time he had ever struck his son._

_Then Charles left Tobias alone for hours and went wandering in the woods near their home. Though he couldn't remember exactly what transpired, he did remember coming across a life-long revelation: God was his only solace and He should be honored._

_When he managed to find his way home, he caught Tobias reading the note. He got angry, snatched it from him, and tore it up into tiny bits. Then he punished Tobias for disrespecting him and gradually began to teach that boy about discipline and the ways of the Lord._

_Because he'll be damned if his son turned out to be a demon like Martha._

Charles blinked at the memory and rubbed his head in annoyance. Though remembering caused a sharp twist in his chest, it also served to increase his wrath tenfold. But for some reason that sustaining fury was tainted with a touch of unease. He wasn't sure where the hell it came from and it was beginning to frustrate him. He couldn't pinpoint the source, much less feel that there should be initially any source, and it pissed him off.

In the end, he just shoved it away and focused on the hostility and hatred that's been lingering within him for several long years, festering and boiling like lava.

Eventually Foyet had driven them to a remote cul-de-sac and parked in front of a fairly average home. Charles scoffed at the sight as they exited the vehicle, unimpressed.

Hearing him, Foyet turned to him and grinned. "Nice place she's got here. It's very…ordinary."

Charles observed the structure and nodded in agreement. "Do you think she's home?"

"Only one way to find out." Foyet smirked and casually began to stroll to the front door. Charles wordlessly followed him and watched as he carelessly knocked and rang the doorbell. Once that harsh, booming bell resounded from within the prosaic home, a sense of mild anxiousness simultaneously resonated from within him. Charles frowned yet brushed it off and focused on the door.

They waited a couple of seconds and Charles noticed Foyet slipping his hand into his trench coat pocket from the corner of his eye. Eventually they heard footsteps approaching the door until it opened. Behind it revealed a normal-looking man with grey hair and aging brown eyes.

He looked at them warily, taking in their less-than trustworthy appearances and asked, "May I help you?"

"Uh yeah you can," Foyet answered with a grin. "Are you Richard Emerson?"

The man looked to them in surprise, momentarily caught off guard. "Um…yes, that's me. What, uh…what can I do for you?"

"Well for starters, is your wife home?"

"Uh yes, but what does she have to do with-" He cut himself off with a gasp as Foyet discreetly pulled out the gun from his pocket.

"I'd talk less if I were you, it shows me how _uneasy_ you are," Foyet said coolly. "Now take a couple of steps back, slowly, and don't make a fucking noise."

Emerson briefly nodded and carefully started walking backwards, his brown orbs fixed on the gun. Foyet sneered and forced him back into the house while Charles accompanied him, shutting the door behind him.

"L-look, I don't want any trouble," Emerson started off, trying not to let his voice crack, "We don't have much but you can have it. The silverware is in the dining room, my wife has some jewelry, and-"

"Jewelry?! He's offering us jewelry!" Foyet harshly laughed as he turned to Charles, "You hear that Hankel? Our good buddy Richie is willing to give up his wife's jewelry! Now doesn't that just scream generosity?!"

Charles set his jaw and glared at Emerson. "You low-life bastard."

Emerson paled slightly and focused his attention on him. "H-Hankel? W-wait aren't…aren't you-"

"Yeah, he is," Foyet interrupted him with a curl of his lip. "You recognize his name, don't ya? Sound familiar?"

"I…I…"

"Richard? Who's at the door?" Charles's ears instantly picked up on the soft woman's voice gently wafting through the house, easily identifying it. Each of the men turned to the staircase when they heard the delicate padding of footsteps and were soon met by a fairly plump woman.

Charles had to stop himself from making any sounds of astonishment.

She was just how he remembered: her wavy brown hair withered into a whispering winter white, a quiet voice that spoke volumes of sympathy and kindness, and tender light brown eyes full of warmth and compassion, eyes that Tobias had inherited.

_Those affectionate, welcoming eyes looked at him as she finished telling him a story and tucked him into bed. "Tobias? You know I love you, right?"_

_"Of course, mom, I know you do."_

_"Good, because I love you more than anything else in the world."_

_"Anything?"_

_A soft, thoughtful hum left her lips. "Yes. Anything and any_one_."_

_"Even Father?"_

_She bit her lower lip as she lightly responded, "Yes, even more than Charles."_

_"What's wrong momma? You look sad. Did you and Father have another fight?"_

_More chewing of the lower lip while chocolate orbs became troubled. "Well, no…it's just that…some things are going to change around here, Tobias." _

_"What kind of things?"_

_"…Lots of things but even when they do, they'll never change the fact that I love you. Remember that, okay? No matter what happens, just know that I love you…so much."_

_"…Okay mommy."_

_Tense shoulders eased up ever so slightly. "Good. Now you best be off to bed. Tomorrow morning I'm going to make some waffles for breakfast."_

_"Waffles?! I love waffles! They're my favorite!"_

_A gentle, motherly smile curves on soft lips. "I know."_

Charles blinked at the memory and scowled. What the hell…

However he refocused when a startled gasp emitted from the woman, from Martha. She looked at the intruders fearfully, eyeing back and forth between her husband and the gun pointed at him.

Foyet was pleased by her arrival. "Why Martha Emerson, it's good of you to show up. I was afraid that Richard here might've lied about you being here."

Martha flinched and stared at him wide-eyed. "How…how do you know our names? Who…who are you?"

"Oh so many questions," Foyet mockingly cooed. "But before I answer them I have one of my own: do recognize the man over there?" He pointed over to Charles and Martha looked from Foyet to her husband before she unwillingly turned her gaze to him. Charles glared angrily at her and waited for her response.

He expected a number of reactions from her; he expected for her to be shocked to see him, to recoil from him out of terror and fright. He wanted to see guilt and shame in her eyes, to see that she acknowledges the severity of her wrongdoing.

What he got wasn't what he expected.

Martha took a good long look at him yet the only thing he saw in her eyes was confusion. Her orbs scanned his face closely, straining to find some source of familiarity yet came up empty. She warily glanced at Foyet. "I…I don't know him."

Charles simultaneously frowned as Foyet smirked with amusement. "Aw c'mon now Martha. Are you _sure_ you don't recognize him? I mean he's family. How can you forget family?"

Martha turned to him again and examined his face closer, trying to find something. Eventually she discovered it because her eyes widened with astonishment. Charles managed to feel a brief sense of satisfaction until it was shattered when she stuttered, "T-Tobias?"

Charles instantly frowned with distaste and glowered at her. "Don't insult me, woman. Don't you _dare_ compare me to his pathetic level."

Martha's eyes widened and her body tensed in a flinch as she blanched. Foyet, on the other hand, seemed highly amused as he darkly laughed. "Not quite, dear." Then he turned his attention to Richard Emerson, "Alright, Richie, so here's what the two of you are going to do—you are going to tie up your wife to that chair." He pointed to a couple of wooden chairs in the dining room. "If you tie any half-ass knots then I'll show you how to tie it right…around her neck."

Emerson cringed and Martha whimpered as Foyet continued, "Once you're done, then you're going to sit nice and quiet in the other chair while my good friend Hankel secures you to your seat. Got it?"

The man looked at Foyet, terrified and conflicted as he shakily inquired, "What…what d-do you want with us? What are you…going to do?"

Foyet smirked and shook his head condescendingly before glancing at Martha. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Martha. Richard not only offered up _your_ jewelry but he seems eager to risk your life by stalling the inevitable; he _really_ knows how to protect his woman, wouldn't you say?"

Martha cringed yet didn't say a word. Foyet only shook his head and aimed his gun at her, her squeak of terror finally inciting Richard to reluctantly move towards her. He looked to her and said, "I…I'm sorry Martha." She looked back at him and nodded.

Satisfied with this act of submissiveness, Foyet grinned and tossed Emerson a coil of rope. Charles watched with disgust as he slowly, too slowly tied up Martha to the chair and after a moment's hesitation took a seat in the chair next to her. Emerson glimpsed at Foyet with weakly suppressed fear, his gaze briefly flickering over to Charles. He held his stare with a darkened glare of his own and eventually Emerson chickened out, passively looking to the ground.

Then with the rest of the rope, Charles tightly tied Emerson to the chair, giving it an extra tug for good measure and provoking a pained whimper from him. Foyet smirked and commented, "It's all you now, Hankel. Say what you want—_do_ what you want. I'll set the camera up when you're ready."

Charles looked to him, surprised by the new development. "You're planning on filming?"

"Why not? After all, she _did_ betray you for this piece of crap," Foyet gestured to Richard Emerson, "so doesn't that mean she broke that one commandment on adultery?"

Charles set his jaw and glared at him. Foyet instantly raised up his hands in an appeasing gesture. "Hey don't give me that look, it's only an assumption." Pause. "So _did_ she cheat on you?"

His glare amplified its ferocity and he refused to answer, though he was sure his expression read his affirmation. Foyet nodded in understanding. "I get it, Hankel, I do. Shit like that hurts like hell but in the end you gotta choose between crying about it or actually doing something. So what's it gonna be, Hankel? It's up to you." He quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his switchblade, holding it out to him. Charles looked at it for a moment before taking it, feeling the weapon in his hand, feeling empowered.

For a moment, he let his anger course through him and his eyes flared with enraged fury as they locked on Martha. How could she do this to him? How could she leave him for another man? Where the hell does she get the right to just betray him like that? To leave him? He thought she loved him, she _promised _she did.

_But if she did then why did she leave me alone with Father?_

Charles blinked at the sudden thought and took a step back, briefly shaken. This question wasn't his own—it was as if another voice was inside of him, sharing his mind, and striving to break loose…

He roughly shook his head and tightened his grip on the knife. He was losing his head but he didn't have the time to deal with this.

It was time for justice.

Charles glared fiercely at Martha who stared back at him with restrained tears in her eyes. He clenched his jaw and growled, "Ain't you got nothing to say to me, woman? You left me; I gave you everything and you left me. For over twenty long years I was left to raise that ungrateful boy you used to call your son. I don't know why God hasn't assigned you to Hell yet but it doesn't matter now—I'll make sure you get there for your unholy acts against me. So what have you got to say for yourself?"

Martha didn't say anything as she looked at him unblinkingly, her gaze holding mortal terror and something else he couldn't properly identify.

And he didn't like it.

Infuriated by her lack of response, Charles angrily pointed the knife at her and shouted, "SAY SOMETHING, YOU BITCH!"

Martha and Emerson both flinched but Martha somehow got herself to speak: "Why…why are you doing this?"

Charles looked at her incredulously and grew more tumultuous. "Why am I doing this?! Did you not just hear me, you dumb bitch?! I'm doing this because you fucked up! You deserted our family for this Neanderthal without any reason as to why you prefer him to me! _You just left!_ How can I get any clearer than that?!"

His shout briefly echoed in the silence that followed as he fumed. Foyet seemed pleased by the development and appeared almost anxious with excitement, waiting eagerly for what he was going to do next. Emerson looked at him with fear-stricken eyes, unnerved and on edge.

Finally Martha's eyes welled up with tears and she shook her head. "No…no this can't be you. You would…never do something like this. What happened to you? What ever happened to my sweet little boy?"

Charles was taken aback as he stared at her with shock, his fury decreasing slightly but overall not waning or disappearing. He momentarily furrowed his brow in confusion before it deepened furiously. "'What happened to me'?! What happened was that _you _betrayed _me_ and I was left to deal with pathetic waste of life you called our son! Ever since you left he's been nothing but trouble and a fucking pain in the ass! He was always weak and pitiful but the day you betrayed me was the day he succumbed to the devil's manipulations! Everything that's wrong with him is your fault and I've been performing my duty to God ever since to make it up to Him." His glare sharpened and dug into his facial features. "And I'll continue doing so by any and all means necessary!"

Martha's moist brown orbs stared at him as she shook her head. "I don't know why you're doing this! I-"

"You know damn well why I'm doing this! Don't act fucking thick!"

"I…I…I didn't mean to leave you! I loved you and I still do! I never thought that leaving you with your father would turn you into this! I never thought…I didn't…" She suddenly herself off with a highly distressed wail and soon she began to sob uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry Tobias!"

Charles instinctively recoiled as if she physically lashed out at him and he stared at her with appalled shock. He was unable to comprehend her words and he couldn't decide how he should feel, how he ought to react. He merely watched as she bawled while Emerson whispered consolations to her.

_What the hell is she talking about?_

Foyet glared at her and turned to Charles. "She's hysterical Hankel, don't buy it. She's just looking for a way out of this. Don't believe it for a damn second."

Charles hesitated and turned back to Martha, somewhat conflicted over what to do. Something was holding him back and he couldn't tell what it was. Though he still felt anger pumping through his system, he couldn't channel it into the knife or even into words. He could only frown at his frantic ex-wife and her weasel husband who kept his mouth shut like a coward.

Eventually Foyet grew sick of Martha's sobbing and snapped, "Alright, that's enough." He stepped close to her and pointed the gun at her. "Normally I enjoy crying but not when it's as pathetic as this. Now shut up or I'll shoot you now just to get you to stop." Martha didn't seem to hear him as she continued to sob, choking out apologies in-between.

Foyet furrowed his brow. "Hey! I said shut the hell up!" He then viciously pistol-whipped her and she screamed as blood and pain exploded in her head.

This shook Charles out of his stupor as he glowered at Foyet. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Foyet turned to him, mildly surprised, before lightly scowling at him. "Trying to get her to shut up, what does it look like?" When Charles's angry expression only darkened, Foyet sighed and said, "Look I get it, you want to deal with her yourself because of personal reasons but damn it you better hurry the hell up before this grows weary. I'll set up the camera and you do your thing."

"No."

Not prepared in the least for that response, Foyet's head snapped to fully look at him, surprise and a pernicious sense of vexation turbulent within his eyes. "What?"

"I said 'no'," Charles firmly asserted, his fists unconsciously clenching. "I won't have you filming this."

For a moment Foyet was left speechless until he managed out an indignant "Excuse me?"

"You heard me well, Foyet; I refuse to let this be filmed-"

"And why the hell not?" Foyet spat out between gritted teeth.

"Because I need someone to determine a suitable punishment for Martha. I may be a servant to God but I cannot verify what He would do to handle a situation like this. I want to ensure her ticket to Hell but I'm not sure I'm the one to do it or how I should do it."

Foyet released an incredulous scoff. "'A suitable punishment'? Are you kidding me? The only 'suitable punishment' she deserves is something bloody, excruciating, and merciless. C'mon Hankel don't tell me you're getting soft."

"I ain't!" Charles snapped back at him. "I just want this done right."

"Never pictured you as a perfectionist," Foyet irritably muttered to himself. When Charles glared at him, he raised up his hands in appeasement. "Fine if you don't think you should do it then allow me."

He held out his hand for the switchblade but Charles shook his head. "No. I want Raphael to decide her fate. He's an instrument of God so I trust his judgment. I'll wait for him to come before I do anything."

Charles was growing increasingly infuriated by Foyet's condescending, disapproving expressions, especially with the one he was being given currently. "You _really_ want to wait for the archangel to show up? Not sure that's a good idea, Hankel."

"And why the hell not?!" Charles brusquely retorted.

"Because Raphael comes and goes whenever he wants so who knows when the hell he's gonna get back. We could be waiting here for days for all we know."

"And I'm prepared to wait that long," Charles easily countered. "I want Raphael to hear out the situation and settle what's to be done. I need his judgment for this."

"Judgment? You don't need judgment because you already know what Martha's done. Seriously, Hankel, what's your deal? Don't you want this bitch to suffer for her sins?"

"Of course I do! But I'd rather have Raphael review these circumstances and offer a fitting retribution for her sins. Besides, I'd rather not be penalized for breaking the 6th commandment if I kill her."

"So what?! _She_ broke the 7th commandment! Are you really having doubts over a woman who's done you wrong?!"

Charles was bristling by now as he ferociously snapped, "I'm not! But I won't be committed like a sinner! Genesis says that 'whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed'. In other words there _will_ be consequences if I just kill this woman without God's approval! I'm waiting for Raphael! You hear me?!"

Neither of them said a word as each of them sized each other up, both flaring with vehemence. Martha and Richard Emerson nervously watched the two, their eyes flickering between them and trying to judge what's going to happen next.

Eventually the thick silence between them was broken when Foyet growled, "Fine. You wanna wait for Raphael then go ahead by all means."

Charles narrowed his eyes at the disgust in his voice. "Don't question me, Foyet, I know what I'm doing."

Foyet coolly assessed him for a moment and Charles recognized a glimmer of calculation within his gaze, not liking how it was aimed at him. However Foyet's expression suddenly grew malicious as he grinned. "So do I. And since we're staying here a while, I've got an idea."

Charles furrowed his brow but Foyet quickly turned to the Emersons before he could question. Foyet peered down to look at them and they both looked back fearfully. Foyet smirked and said, "Alright Martha, Richie good news: you have a little while longer to live but that could change at any time depending on how well you follow directions. Understand?"

Emerson immediately nodded vigorously while Martha chewed her lower lip and briefly inclined her head.

"Good," Foyet mockingly cheered. "Now for starters, you guys got a computer around here?"

Emerson nodded and Foyet pressed, "Where is it?"

The man quietly responded, "It's in the living room across the hall."

"Fantastic. C'mon Hankel." Foyet then walked over to the living room, spotted the device, and then turned it on.

"What the hell are you doing?" Charles inquired as he watched him.

Foyet turned to him and grinned. "Well we could be here a while so we might as well get some work done. What do you say we use the Internet connection here to send out Raphael's videos?"

Charles's eyes briefly widened before he growled, "Depends: can you do it without getting caught?"

Foyet eerily smirked and simply replied, "Yes."

Gradually Charles eased up and he lightly returned the grin. "Then go ahead. I know some Bible passages we can use for our message."

* * *

**This was an interesting POV to toy with. Is it wrong to say that I find it fun to delve into Tobias's past?**

**You guys got what happened there, right? Even though 'Charles' is in control, the Tobias within him is trying to break free. The result: Tobias is unconsciously making 'Charles' hesitate. After all, this is still Tobias's mind so all of 'Charles's' memories are based on what Tobias remembers. Does that make any sense? If it doesn't then just let me know and I'll confirm.**

**Alright so I have something to ask of you guys. Now that Tobias's mom and her new husband have been introduced I have to ask: should I kill them off? One of the reasons why I'm stuck is because I can't decide whether or not to keep them alive. Would it be screwed up if I did kill one or both of them? I dunno. Any thoughts or suggestions? :/**

**Thank you for your time and patience, dear readers! Have a nice day! :D**

**P.S The new season of Criminal Minds is in a week! Yay! X3**


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